


A New Dawn

by BlackHunter666



Series: Shadows to Dawn [2]
Category: Scarecrow Series - Matthew Reilly
Genre: Expansion Efforts, Gen, Military Support Network, Veteran Support, Wealthy Man's Work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-14
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-06-08 09:38:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 25,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6849232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHunter666/pseuds/BlackHunter666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After surviving so much and being rewarded with six months leave, Aloysius is off across the country to check on the progress of the nation wide company he inherited from his father - A New Dawn Consolidated Military Support Services.</p><p>Travelling from state to state, he's making sure his staff are taking the very best care of veterans from every war and learning about the fates of the young men he trained alongside. Sharing in good times and bad, he's determined to remind everyone that he hasn't given up on the veterans of America.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Oregon

Arriving at the Portland head office, Aloysius stepped out and straightened his tie before reaching in for his briefcase and the cat carrier. Head up, shoulders back, he strode into the building with a measured stride, listening to the whispers of the staff at the return of their Boss. They all knew him, his portrait hung behind the reception desk of every branch across the country.   
'Good morning Mr Knight.' a young red head chirped from behind the desk, smiling warmly at him.  
'Good morning Melanie.' Aloysius replied, setting his briefcase on the desk. 'Any more messages for me today?'  
'Quite a few, Mr Knight.' she nodded, lifting up a plastic tray full of messages and reports.  
'Before I leave, I will give you my new home address so you can send all of these to me more regularly.' Aloysius directed, opening his briefcase and piling the waiting reports and messages in on top of all the other items waiting for his full attention. 'Has the board been notified of my return? I will need to speak with them some time in the next week.'  
'They are waiting in the boardroom as we speak, Mr Knight.' Melanie nodded, giving Aloysius another smile.  
'Very good, Melanie.' Aloysius grinned, securing his briefcase and heading for the elevators.

Stepping into the elevator and tapping the button for his office floor, Aloysius leant back against the wall and sighed; mind drifting to the company he ran. The Portland head office was a shining example of his wealth, all expensive furniture and luxury. It was a total contrast to the more utilitarian buildings of the actual company. Aloysius didn't like the differences but there wasn't much he could do about it now. His father had started the company; all he could do was follow that dream and make it his own.

A New Dawn Consolidated Military Support Services, the name said it all. Military personnel that were facing hard times could turn to them for help whenever they needed it. In the beginning, it had been all about providing accommodation, food and clothes to homeless veterans across the country but now they provided counselling, medical assistance, financial support and employment opportunities. Most of the staff at all the sites across the country were veterans, success stories for A New Dawn. Any service member, regardless of branch of service or how long they served, was welcomed into the shelter of the company and given whatever support and help they needed to set them up to succeed at civilian life.

It was a heavy financial burden to carry, running A New Dawn but Aloysius had opened up opportunities for civilians to help if they wished to. Food and clothing drives were held every few months at different places across the country, arrangements made with various understanding businesses in the areas to provide employment to ready veterans and civilian sponsorship programs all came together to make A New Dawn successful.

But their newest program had Aloysius truly excited. It was one that would not only help the veterans that came to his company in need but it would also benefit animal shelters all across the country. Telling the board made it official but it was already underway at every A New Dawn centre across the States. Aloysius knew the benefits of pet therapy, Alley and Raven were testament to that so he'd made the decision to roll it out to every centre and make it available to any veteran that wanted to have a go.

Stepping off the elevator as soon as the doors opened, Aloysius turned his back on the boardroom and headed for his office, needing a couple of minutes to himself before he faced the gasbags he disliked. Closing the door behind him, he set his briefcase on the desk and looked out across the city for a moment before turning away from the view.

Over by the wall, one of his assistants had set up a cat playground, food and water bowls and a litter tray, just perfect for his two little angels. Setting the carrier down beside the playground, Aloysius opened the door and let the pair decide when they wanted to come out as he left his office with his briefcase to face the board.

He hated the board, they always worried about costs and efficiency instead of giving a damn about the people A New Dawn was trying to help. Two successful cases in a month wasn't good enough, they expected to see dozens of people returned to civilian life each month. No matter how many times Aloysius said it was more important to care about the individual people, they wanted more people out the doors each month. Aloysius was sorely tempted to fire the lot and start over but finding people who could handle the stress of managing dozens of A New Dawn centres wasn't easy. Aloysius simply didn't have the time to search for replacements.

Entering the boardroom and closing the door with a satisfying thump, Aloysius approached the big table and took his place at the head, gazing along the length at the eleven people that made up the board. There were a few new faces in the mix, but Aloysius doubted that anything would be different regardless of who sat on the board. They would continue to fight him.  
'For those of you that don't know yet, I am Aloysius Knight, owner and CEO of A New Dawn Consolidated Military Support Services. I won't be around as much as other CEO's you might know. The reason for this is simple. I am still a serving member of the US military, namely the USMC. A New Dawn isn't about quotas or returning people to a civilian life quickly. It is about helping our forgotten veterans get back on their feet and succeed with whatever they want. If that means they need to stay with us until the day they die, so be it. If I hear one more comment about lack of progress, I will not hesitate to fire whoever made the comment.' Aloysius declared, sick and tired of being second guessed and judged. 'Do I make myself perfectly clear?'

Satisfied when the board members nodded and acknowledged the words of their superior, Aloysius leant back a little and opened his briefcase, digging out several reports that had been most troubling for him. Some of the programs on offer were being wound back without his authority and that simply wasn't good enough.  
'Tobias, why are the art programs winding back in your sector?' Aloysius asked, eyes flying to portly man with thinning hair.  
'I can't justify having several art teachers on hand if no one will participate.' Tobias replied, looking at the files in front of him. 'Over just the last six months, the attendances in the art classes have dropped by nineteen percent.'  
'Oh, I didn't realise that suddenly you were paying the bills.' Aloysius snorted, shaking his head quickly. 'So long as A New Dawn is in Knight family hands, I say which programs are run. I don't care if the art classes only have one or two men interested in them, the classes will continue. I pay the salaries; you just make sure the teachers are provided with what they need.'  
'I understand, Mr Knight.' Tobias nodded, writing quickly and putting the report aside.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Stress levels at an all time high after three hours of wrangling with the board, Aloysius returned to his office and set his briefcase down beside the desk before shedding his jacket and hanging it up on the rack in the corner. Removing the two pins from the lapel of his jacket, he secured them to his shirt collar and loosened his tie, trying to relax after that round with the board.

Grabbing the pile of messages on his desk, he kicked his shoes off and padded over to stretch out on the couch, flipping through the pile of messages waiting for him. Most had already been dealt with but there were a few that needed his personal attention. A phone call would suffice for many but a couple of them would need face-to-face time.

Looking up when the internal door opened, Aloysius grinned as his personal secretary entered the office with a tray of snacks and coffee made just the way he liked it. Crossing the room quickly, she set it on the low table beside the couch and laughed softly as Alley ran over to curl around her ankles in greeting.  
'Thanks Emily, you know just what I need after a board meeting.' Aloysius grinned, putting the papers aside and sitting up a little more. 'That's Alley and her brother Raven is over there on the playground sleeping.'

Emily Richardson was a stunning woman, with her feminine curves and long brown hair tied back in simple styles. At thirty nine, she looked more like she was in her late twenties, always keeping her makeup light and smiling warmly at everyone who entered Aloysius' office. On more than one occasion, a guest to the office had asked why Aloysius hadn't taken her as his wife. Aloysius would just grin and look at the wedding photo on the wall and people left it alone.  
'They're absolutely lovely, Mr Knight.' Emily nodded, lightly stroking Alley's back. 'Will there be anything else?'  
'Kindly call these people and schedule them in for meetings. Try to fit them in this week; I'm planning on spending the rest of my leave dropping into various centres across the country.' Aloysius nodded, handing her four letters from people that wanted to speak with him regarding loved ones that were struggling.  
'Of course, Mr Knight. Shall I tell Christian that you will need the jet ready for a long series of flights?' Emily replied, taking the letters from him and flicking through them quickly.  
'That would be a good idea, Emily.' Aloysius replied, picking up his coffee and smiling. 'And if there are any calls from these people, put them through immediately.'  
'Very well, Mr Knight.' Emily agreed, accepting another sheet of paper with several names listed.  
'Thank you Emily.' Aloysius grinned, welcoming Alley up onto his lap and going back to the documents still needing his attention.

This part of the job wasn't so bad, reading over requests for help and updates from the hundreds of staff he had all over the country. He trusted their reports more than anything he heard from the board. These people wanted the work to continue, even if it sometimes felt like they were belting their heads against walls. Progress was slow but it was worth it to see the small results that came from their hard work.

Of all the centres that Aloysius owned and kept tabs on, he particularly liked hearing from the Texas centres. Out there he had one of his largest multi-purpose centres, combining housing, nine different therapy options, counselling and employment preparation into one compound. By far the most popular and effective therapy out there were the horses. It didn't matter if a person had been riding since childhood or only just starting out, everyone smiled when they were with the horses.

After Rufus' untimely death, Aloysius had spent a lot of time at the Texas centre, riding a spirited black stallion and trying to outrace his pain. It hadn't really worked but Aloysius could admit that spending the time with Shadow and talking about Rufus had helped to heal his shattered heart. Shadow had stayed there and listened, never judging Aloysius if he broke down. That was the true magic of animal therapy, they loved unconditionally.

Chuckling softly as Alley stepped up onto his chest and nuzzled his face; Aloysius smiled and wiped his eyes, understanding exactly what his sleek black darling was doing for him. She seemed to always know when his thoughts drifted to Rufus and would try to cheer him up in any way she could. Her favourite way was to curl up beside his ear and purr while idly playing with the heavy gold chain he wore.  
'It's okay Alley, I'm all right. Good girl, you're such a clever girl.' Aloysius praised, scratching under her chin lightly. Mewing quietly, Alley climbed up properly and settled, tucking her head beneath his chin and started to purr.

Used to her behaviours, Aloysius just lifted his latest reading so he could still see it and absently ran his fingers through her fur. Many a day had been spent like this, though usually Raven would join them and snuggle up on Aloysius' lap and sleep away the hours. Alley was the more affectionate of the pair but Aloysius knew they both loved him.

Snacking, reading and giving Alley all the attention she wanted, Aloysius settled into the routine of his business life. Here he could relax and know he was safe. Only those closest to him knew the truth of his life outside the military and the hunting. If any of his old competitors tried to find him and saw his portrait, they would be informed he was an unknown beneficiary of the organisation. The portrait had been sent by an office in Germany at the request of the board. The story had been backed up and reinforced but so far Aloysius hadn't had to test it.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Leaving the office just as it was starting to get dark, Aloysius gently set the carrier on the seat and slid inside, letting out a sigh as he settled into the soft leather and Christopher closed the door.  
'Straight home, Gunny?' he asked, settling behind the wheel.  
'Home is in South Carolina, Christopher.' Aloysius chuckled, shaking his head slowly. 'The apartment here will be fine.'  
'This will take some getting used to, Gunny.' Christopher remarked, pulling out and joining the evening traffic.  
'Portland hasn't been home since I was a teenager, Chris.' Aloysius sighed, a single word enough to change the dynamic between them.  
'Remember when I used to wait for you outside your school? You'd come flying out the gate and straight into my arms like I was your father.' Christopher chuckled, most of his attention on the traffic around them.  
'In a lot of ways, you were and you still are. You were there to talk to when I was having trouble and you helped me confront who I really was.' Aloysius nodded, pulling off his tie and shoving it in his pocket.  
'Speaking of which, are you ever going to look for another special someone to keep you company on the cold nights?' Christopher enquired, switching lanes and glancing in the mirror.  
'I don't think so, not after losing the three people I loved more than any others in the world.' Aloysius shrugged, unbuttoning his collar and pulling out the heavy gold chain so he could toy with the three rings.  
'Talk to me, Aloysius. I can tell you're hurting, let me help you.' Christopher coaxed, slowing down a little and turning to take the long way to the apartment.

Realising what Christopher was doing, Aloysius smiled and made a brief note on his PDA to arrange a nice little bonus for the older man to say thank you. Christopher had been a part of his life for as long as Aloysius could remember, always there to help when he needed it. This was just another example of how much Christopher cared about him.  
'Mel was my queen and Christine the greatest blessing in my life. Losing them hurt so much but I had Rufus there to catch me when I stumbled. For so long I had denied who I was, I kept pushing it aside and tried to be a good husband, father and son. When Rufus first came to my bed, I pushed him away and said things I shouldn't have. I wanted to keep my walls intact so I said a lot of hurtful things. He seemed to know that I didn't mean them though, because he kept coming back and trying to offer me the comfort of a warm body in a cold bed.' Aloysius sighed, watching the city passing him by as he spoke.  
'Go on.' Christopher uttered, turning towards a favoured restaurant.  
'This went on for about a month, it didn't seem to matter what I said to him, he kept trying to get me to agree to share my bed. In the end, I got tired of fighting. That first night with him was unlike anything I expected. He was so gentle and he never pushed for more than I was ready to give. It was nice to be able to curl up in bed with someone pressed against my back. For the first time, I didn't have to be the strong one. I could relax and enjoy being held like I was the most important person in the world.' Aloysius continued, noting where they were and perking up a little.  
'I called ahead, your old favourite meal will be ready and waiting by the time we arrive. I thought you would appreciate being able to eat at the apartment instead of being stuck with the crowd.' Christopher offered, glancing in the mirror again. 'I even convinced them to add a bottle of that Cabernet Sauvignon you used to like so much.'  
'It's been a while since I indulged in that.' Aloysius laughed, looking forward to his meal even though he would be alone. 'Thanks Chris.'

Pulling up outside the restaurant, Christopher wound his window down and accepted the wine first, handing that back to Aloysius before taking the covered glass dishes containing the meal and setting them on the front seat safely. Paying for the meal, Christopher closed the window again and peeled out, the delightful smells of the food filling the car.  
'I hope you're not trying to convince me to stay, Chris.' Aloysius grinned, briefly wondering what his friends were eating tonight.  
'Of course not. I understand that your service to our country is your greatest love.' Christopher replied, winding their way towards the apartment.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Relaxing on the couch after a lovely meal of pasta, seasonal veggies and a tiramisu to finish, Aloysius was feeling pretty good about the next six months. He still had to deal with a lot of people he'd rather ignore but that was the price he would have to pay to get back in touch with his company and make sure everything was running to plan.

If there was one serious downside to living large like this, Aloysius had to think it was Sandy. Sure, she was very helpful and made certain that the apartment was always tidy but sometimes Aloysius wished he could be alone to think and take care of his own needs. Sandy was a lovely woman but sometimes she got on his nerves and Aloysius ended up saying something he really shouldn't have.

Tonight was a perfect example. Aloysius would have liked to have a night alone and set up a nice memorial for Rufus but by the time he'd arrived in the apartment, Sandy had already set the small table for a meal for one and was standing by to serve the food. But then there were the ridiculous clothes she insisted on wearing.

Forcing back a groan when he heard her coming towards the living room, Aloysius sat up and turned to her, torn about her employment. She was a success story from A New Dawn but he wasn't sure how much longer he could handle her. He felt bad about firing her but all he wanted was a little bit of peace from her antics.

She'd been told several times about acceptable working clothes but she continued to wear her mini skirts and stomach baring tops with ridiculously high heels. Tonight she was wearing a dark blue ensemble with sparkling silver shoes and the white apron that had been provided. But instead of wearing it properly, she'd folded it so it only barely covered her skirt.  
'Sandy, we have been over this before.' Aloysius warned, turning his back to her. 'You have been provided with a uniform to wear when you are in my presence.'  
'I look so ugly in that uniform. How can I do my job if I look that bad?' Sandy asked, moving to try and get back into Aloysius' eye line.  
'Your job is to keep the apartment clean and prepare meals if I am here. These skimpy outfits are not appropriate for an employee of A New Dawn Consolidated Military Support Services.' Aloysius replied, averting his gaze again. 'If I see you out of uniform in my apartment again, I will have you replaced. Do you understand?'  
'Yes, Mr Knight.' Sandy nodded, retreating to the door when he pointed.  
'You are dismissed for the night.' Aloysius directed, briefly wondering how long it would be before Sandy was back in her mini skirts.  
'Good night, Mr Knight.' Sandy replied, making for the main door as quickly as she could.

Shaking his head and getting to his feet, Aloysius hoisted Raven off his shoulders and deposited him on the couch before heading for the bathroom. Setting his wine down on the shelf beside the tub, he turned the taps on and stripped, gazing at his memorial tattoos as he put his dirty clothes in the hamper and stretched.

He'd added to the design over the last few years, repairing scar damage to his memorial and positioning a few new names around his body. He'd put a memorial to Mel and Christine on his right thigh, surrounding the names and dates with a wreath of forget-me-nots, dark crimson roses and yellow zinnias. Most people didn't understand the choice of flowers but he'd picked for special meanings - forget-me-nots for memories, roses for consolation and zinnias for daily remembrance. He had plans to have another one done over the next six months, something to honour his Marine friends and make sure they had their rightful place in amongst all the other work. 

To make sure his friends knew he was thinking of them during the separation, Aloysius had organised special deliveries to them all each week over the next six months. He went with the safe option of healthy gift baskets of the finest produce available but for Mother, he added one small little detail. Each of her baskets would also contain a single rose of whatever colour was available. The only rule Aloysius had set down was no red roses, he didn't want Ralph getting the wrong idea.

Smiling at the thought of what his friends would be receiving tomorrow, Aloysius stepped into the large tub and sunk down, stretching out comfortably and sipping his wine. This was the life he enjoyed, relaxing after a hard day and letting the world drift away from him. Reaching over, he activated the jets and groaned, eyes sliding closed as he completely relaxed.  
'life is good.' he muttered, feeling a good buzz from the wine and loving the chance to completely unwind and let everything go for a while.


	2. Florida

So glad to be away from the uptight realm of head office, Aloysius joined the staff at the Miami centre, arriving in comfortably worn board shorts and an open shirt over a plain white singlet. They had a good place, walking distance to the beach and right among some of the higher class apartment blocks. A New Dawn Miami wasn't the biggest centre available, housing almost four hundred and providing all their needs in one three-building complex. The largest building was the housing block; the other two buildings contained a mixture of classrooms, therapy centres and general purpose halls.

Leaving Alley and Raven with the staff still at the centre and encouraging them to allow the cats to make nice with their clients, Aloysius headed down the beach to check up on their clients up close. Some of them were likely to recognise him, but he didn't mind. For him, it was all about being hands on and giving his all to helping these people.

Heading towards the large group on the beach, Aloysius grinned as he was greeted warmly by the staff supervising the beach party. Splitting from the group, an older man headed towards him, a towel wrapped around his thick waist.  
'It's good to see you again Aloysius.' he grinned, offering his hand.  
'Good to see you too Clay.' Aloysius replied, shaking his hand firmly.

Clay Andrews had been part of the New Dawn family for years, going right back to the very earliest days of it becoming a totally integrated support network. A Vietnam veteran, he'd been through hell and come out to find his wife had left him and taken the kids but she hadn't thought to tell him where they'd gone. He's turned up on the doorstep of the first Cheyenne centre and had taken every course available, trying to be a better person and improve his chances of a new job.

Now he was one of Aloysius' best leaders at the Miami centre. It didn't matter what the problem was, Clay seemed to be able to calm any situation and act as a voice of reason when tempers flared.  
'So how long are you here for?' Clay asked, leading Aloysius towards a group of young vets sitting on the beach talking.  
'About a week, I've got six months leave and I'm planning to visit as many major centres as I can.' Aloysius shrugged, scanning the small group slowly. 'No, it can't be.'  
'You recognise one of 'em?' Clay asked, watching Aloysius closely.  
'Andrew Richards? Is that really you?' Aloysius called, frozen to the spot in shock.

Head coming up, one of the young veterans stared up at Knight in disbelief. Tall and stocky, he had aged so much in the eight years since they'd last been face to face.  
'Aloysius! You're alive.' Andrew yelped, scrambling to his feet and launching into Aloysius' embrace. 'I thought you might have been another of the boys we lost.'  
'Whoa, slow down Andrew. What happened?' Aloysius soothed, holding tight and easing down to sit. 'Come on, talk to me little brother.'  
'I can't, it's still too real.' Andrew uttered, burrowing closer and finding a spark of safety in the firm hold of his older battle-buddy.  
'Whenever you're ready, I'll be around.' Aloysius nodded, tucking Andrew's head under his chin and holding on. 'Not always in person but I'll never be out of reach.'  
'You mean you're not staying here?' Andrew asked, fingers tightening in Aloysius' shirt. 'I though this place was only for clients of A New Dawn.'  
'And the staff of A New Dawn. I'll let you in on a little secret, Andrew.' Aloysius grinned, shifting their positions so he could whisper in Andrew's ear. 'I'm the real owner of A New Dawn. Have been since I was 25.'  
'For real?' Andrew asked, pulling back and looking at him curiously.  
'For real, kid. A New Dawn is all mine, you can ask any of the staff. They'll probably tell you I'm a Captain but that's in the past. I was a Captain in the Army but I gave up my commission when I joined the Marines.' Aloysius replied, relaxing a little at the trust he saw in Andrew's eyes.  
'Thanks for giving me a home. I didn't dare go back to my family after I got back, I knew they wouldn't understand.' Andrew uttered, turning and leaning back against Aloysius comfortably.  
'You'll always have a home with us, Andrew.' Aloysius promised, curling one arm around Andrew and letting him rest.

~#~#~#~#~#~

After a beach barbeque for lunch, Aloysius traded in his glasses for a pair of swim goggles and let one of the women grab his wrist and drag him towards the ocean. Grabbing one of the surfboards on offer, he hit the waves and paddled out, sticking beside the young woman that had dragged him away from Andrew.

Tiffany Matthews had been part of the family at A New Dawn for three years after her Navy career ended in an explosion, severely injuring three and killing five. Her family couldn't support her recovery and so she'd been sent to A New Dawn for treatment and help. She was still on the road to healing but she'd come so far in just three years.

Paddling out through the breakers, Aloysius glanced back over his shoulder to see where Tiffany was now. There she was, paddling up on his left side with a big smile on her face. Red curls held back by a black bandana and wearing a simple green one piece bathing suit under a pair of black board shorts, she was still beautiful, in her own way.

Picking a suitable wave, Aloysius turned and bounced to his feet, finding his balance and starting to cut a path back towards the beach. Beside him, Tiffany came onto her knees and spread her arms for balance, doing the best she could without her prosthetic right leg. Always keeping one eye on her, Aloysius cut loose and went back to better times, putting aside the titles he had and enjoying being just one of the gang.

Bringing his board closer when Tiffany wobbled, Aloysius reached out and caught her, planting one hand between her shoulders to keep her steady. Catching her gaze, he caught her hands and held her steady as she stood and deftly hopped across onto his board before sinking down to her knees again. Checking where her board was, Aloysius turned and carved towards the beach, laughing as Tiffany released her leg strap and cast her board off for one of the other swimmers to grab.

Jumping off when they got into the shallows, Aloysius released his leg strap and swept Tiffany into his arms, carrying her to where she'd left her prosthetic in the sand. Picking it up, she snuggled in against his chest as he carried her up the beach and deposited her on her towel safely.  
'thanks Aloysius.' she grinned, brushing the sand off her stump and making sure it was dry before slotting her prosthetic on again and making sure it was secure.  
'Anything to help out.' Aloysius nodded, brushing a bit of sand off her cheek before standing.

Stretching in the warm sun, Aloysius couldn't wipe the smile off his face. Even without his hand on the wheel, his organisation was doing what it had been created for, giving service men and women a second chance to get back on their feet. It didn't seem to matter that he was more of a ghost than a real CEO, always off doing something else instead of sitting in his Portland office. Aloysius knew he should have been spending more time with A New Dawn but his heart was with the Marines now, his friends would be waiting for him.

Turning when someone called his name, Aloysius backed up and caught the football flying his way, spinning it in his hands and kicking it back to a small group of men with their hands in the air. Here it was easy to forget that he was a highly respected Gunnery Sergeant and a Medal of Honour recipient. Around the New Dawn complexes, he was another veteran, albeit a little more powerful than most and with a greater burden on his shoulders but still a veteran.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Returning to the complex in the late afternoon, Aloysius slipped into his office to change into a worn pair of jeans and an old olive drab singlet with SNAFU across the back. Pulling on his well loved combat boots, he stepped out to join his staff and clients again, both sides of his career on display - his Delta insignia on his right shoulder and an EGA on the left.

Heading up to the second floor, Aloysius entered the rec room and was almost instantly invited to join a card game at one of the tables. Promising to play later, he continued weaving through the crowded room, talking to old friends and new arrivals as he did the rounds. It was nice to just sit and talk to some of their clients, learning what the people liked and didn't like about their home with A New Dawn.

From what he was hearing, A New Dawn was growing faster than first anticipated. Instead of it being one person to every small apartment within the block, there were two or three sharing each apartment and learning to get along. Sorted by rank, this new accommodation style put people together that otherwise wouldn't really talk and gave them a chance to share experiences. Thinking about the idea, Aloysius jotted it down on his PDA, giving serious thought to spreading the idea to every A New Dawn complex across the country.

He found Raven up here too, sprawled contentedly in the lap of an older man as he was lavished with attention. Alley had been enjoying the attention of another older man but the moment she saw Aloysius, she was up and running towards him, scrambling up his jeans before she was swept up onto his shoulders comfortably.  
'No surprise you're enjoying that so much, Raven.' Aloysius laughed, crouching beside the chair.  
'Oh, is he yours, Captain Knight?' Richard Mitchell asked, still absently rubbing Raven's soft coat.  
'Yeah, I got them both a few years ago in memory of a fallen friend.' Aloysius nodded, nuzzling Alley quickly. 'But don't worry about it, for the next week you can consider him yours if that's what he wants. There are plans to introduce a pets as therapy program for all A New Dawn complexes, it's still in the planning stage but it will happen.'  
'I'd really like that. I miss having a cat to curl up on my lap when it's quiet.' Richard smiled, aged blue eyes softening at the memories. 'I'd probably call him Harrier.'  
'I thought you might, Richard. As soon as the pets program is cleared, I'll make sure you're on the list to be one of the first to get a cat.' Aloysius promised, straightening and rubbing Alley's back tenderly. 'I thought you flew Thuds, not Harriers.'  
'I did but Thud sounds like a bad name for a cat.' Richard chuckled, rubbing Raven's ears lightly.  
'Depends on the cat. Raven makes quite the thud when he jumps down from his favourite perch at home.' Aloysius laughed, scratching Raven under the chin before walking away, Alley dozing on his shoulders.

In another corner of the rec room, a mixed group were sitting around making sweet little clothes for dolls and teddies. On top of one of the baskets of completed toys, Aloysius saw something that made his heart stop for a moment. Right there, staring up at him with soulful brown eyes was a little white teddy in a sweet little red and blue stripped pants and vest set. Kneeling beside the basket, Aloysius picked up the bear and looked at it, memories of saying goodbye to his best friend crashing into his mind.  
'Something wrong, Gunny?' someone asked, a light hand resting on his shoulder.  
'I saw a bear just like this a few years ago. A young girl gave it to me to give to my best friend after he was killed in action. She said her daddy had given it to her before he went away but now he was back she wanted to give it to someone else who looked sad. She asked me to give it to my friend, I guess she thought he would like it.' Aloysius explained, turning to look at the young woman beside him. 'I didn't think I'd see another one like it.'  
'we make the outfits for the toys and give them to children who have lost parents whilst serving in the armed forces.' one of the men explained, holding up a doll in a long white dress with blue and red stars all over it. 'We'd like to think our efforts bring them comfort.'  
'They do, not just for the children either. Her mother was so proud of what she did. We shared a bond, we were both escorting someone special to their final resting place. Her husband was in the hold with Rufus, the little girl didn't seem to realise exactly what was going on.' Aloysius nodded, looking back at the bear in his hands and reaching out to put it back in the basket.  
'Keep him, we always have plenty of these to send out to the bases of Florida. One little bear won't be missed.' another man offered, reaching out to push the bear back towards Aloysius. 'You need a chance to heal as much as any child.'  
'NSDQ.' Aloysius uttered, bringing the bear to his chest.  
'If there's anyone else you can think of that might appreciate a reminder like this, feel free.' the young woman nodded, getting up and returning to her seat in the circle.  
'Actually, there is. A friend of mine lost his girlfriend in action, days before he was going to propose.' Aloysius nodded, thoughts turning to Shane and his continued pain over Libby's death.  
'Black, blonde, brunette or redhead?' another man asked, digging into the basket of dolls beside him. 'We've got a little of everything.'  
'She was a blonde, soft blue eyes if you've got it.' Aloysius replied, thinking of Libby and smiling as he felt a familiar warmth at his back. 'Something that says Marine would be a nice touch too.'  
'I've got the perfect doll here, she just needs one final touch.' another woman smiled, holding up a blonde haired, blue eyed doll.  
'Libby, her name is Libby.' Aloysius uttered, gazing at the doll and smiling softly. 'Or Fox, I don't know which would be less stressful for Shane.'  
'I can put Libby on one side and Fox on the other edge. That way your friend can pick which way he sits her to show whichever he wants.' she grinned, threading an embroidery needle and getting to work on the doll.

It only took her a few minutes before she knotted off the thread and stood, bringing the doll over to Aloysius. In elegant, sloping cursive along the sides of her long skirt, she had written out a memorial to a lovely Marine taken far too soon.  
'One Marine to another, I hope he likes it.' she offered, placing the doll in Aloysius' hands lightly.  
'So do I. Fox deserved better than she got.' Aloysius nodded, tracing his finger over the embroidery lightly. 'I can only hope Shane realises what this really means.'  
'Go talk to the guys over there, they can probably organise a suitable box for her. Something that makes it clear it's a tribute to his lost love.' she guided, returning to her spot as Aloysius stood again and cradled the doll to his chest.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Sitting up late into the night, Aloysius tapped quietly at his laptop and watched over Andrew as the younger man curled up on the couch beside him. Poor bastard had ended up crying himself to sleep after relaying everything he knew about the fate of the men they'd trained with back at Parris Island. The news wasn't good, over half of them had been killed but only perhaps a third of those had happened on active service. Andrew struggled through just a few stories, trying to catch Aloysius up on the small team they'd faced the Crucible with. Aloysius just held him and let him cry it out, offering quiet words of comfort as he tried to come to terms with the losses. Aloysius made a mental note to find out what happened to the rest of their training company and make sure they were safe and properly looked after.

Albert Stokes had died in a shootout back home, doing his best to protect his young wife and baby girls. Alberto Lopez died in combat, putting his life on the line to save his buddies from a crazed man with a machine gun. Jack Taylor and Tommy Goldman were both killed in an auto wreck, the pair heading home for the holidays. Toby Andrews, killed on active service by some woman with an IED disguised as a baby as she walked past the checkpoint. Liam Jones died of a heart attack, a congenital defect from what Andrew had heard. Daniel Williams, shot by a drug addict doped up to the eyeballs and looking for a quick score. Robbie Davis, run over by a bus while walking with his son. Ricky Thompson, risking it all to protect his buddies from an enemy RPG and paying the price for his daring.

The only one missing was Eric McKenzie. Andrew knew he'd been injured in the same blast that killed Toby but after that, he'd lost track of young McKenzie. Now Aloysius was putting his extensive resources to the job, digging through thousands of records in an attempt to find Eric somewhere in the New Dawn family scattered across the country. So far he hadn't found anything but that wasn't about to stop him trying to find the younger man. Hopefully he wasn't too late to save the young man from the demons that always came with active service.

Aloysius couldn't stop thinking about Andrew's own horror story either, mind drifting back to the sleeping man beside him as he continued his search for answers. He'd faced the hell of Iraq, putting his life on the line for America and doing his best to survive that nightmare. He'd survived several ambushes but his luck had run out when he had just a month left on his tour. A lucky insurgent with an RPG nailed his Hummer and killed four men as well as leaving Andrew with severe injuries to his chest and arms along with a traumatic brain injury and a bad case of PTSD.  
'Sleep well Andrew, I've got the watch.' Aloysius muttered, resting one hand on Andrew's shoulder lightly. 'You're safe now, I promise.'  
'You're up late Aloysius.' Clay remarked, appearing in the doorway. 'Can't sleep?'  
'Trying to find an old training buddy.' Aloysius explained, lifting his gaze from his laptop. 'Shh, don't wake Andrew. He's really struggling.'  
'Yeah, I know. He moved into my apartment in the hopes I could help him through but it's not really working.' Clay sighed, perching on the coffee table. 'I think this might be the first time he's slept past midnight.'  
'We went through Marine training together. We've lost so many men from our training battalion, it's no huge surprise that he feels safe with me.' Aloysius nodded, tugging the blanket up over Andrew's shoulders again. 'I watched over him then, I'll watch over him now.'  
'So you'll take him with you when you leave?' Clay asked, watching Andrew sleeping peacefully.  
'No, I won't drag him back to Parris Island. He'll be okay here, I'll make sure I'm never out of reach if he needs to talk. I'm still active service, I can't ignore that fact.' Aloysius sighed, gaze flicking to his screen when the laptop beeped faintly. 'Oh shit.'  
'Something wrong?' Clay asked, instantly alert for trouble.  
'Yeah, but it's nothing you can help with. I'll have to wait until the morning to do something about it.' Aloysius replied, reading through the file that had come up on the screen. 'Just checking up on the rest of my training group and found something bad.'  
'You'll make it right, Aloysius. You always do.' Clay grinned, getting to his feet. 'I'm off to bed. Joshua and Maria are on night shift out the front tonight.'  
'Get some rest Clay, tomorrow the fun starts all over again.' Aloysius nodded, settling back and reading over the file again. 'Those two still acting like newlyweds?'  
'Nah, they've settled down now.' Clay chuckled, slipping quietly from the room.

Trying not to think about the results of the search too much, Aloysius put his feet up on the coffee table and sighed softly. He really didn't want to have to fight the McKenzie family again, he could still remember the ugly behaviour that had come out after Rufus' funeral. He really hoped that he could save Eric without having to deal with that family again. Scowling heavily, he opened up his email and started typing a very clear and direct message to the nearest five New Dawn facilities, instructing them to be on the lookout for Eric or any information on him. It was a long shot but Aloysius had pulled off tighter rescues with less Intel in the past.  
'Come on Eric, don't you dare give up now. I'm gonna find you, just hold on little battle-bro. I'll bring you home. I'll keep you safe.' Aloysius whispered, attaching the file on Eric and sending the email out. Now he just had to wait and hope for the best.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Splitting his time between catching up on paperwork and talking with the clients, Aloysius almost regretted that he had to leave the Miami centre soon. He'd really enjoyed spending time here, even though he hadn't had much time to just relax and do nothing for a while. The last week had been quite peaceful, giving him plenty of time to make certain that the Miami centre was running properly and the clients had everything they needed. Honestly, he couldn't fault the staff based here, they all went the extra mile for their clients. They'd even started pottery classes, even though only two clients were interested in the classes. Starting next week, they would also offer various dance classes, all because one lovely young Navy Lieutenant asked for ballet lessons.

Andrew was calmer now too, taking huge comfort from the phone numbers and email address now in his possession. He understood that Aloysius had to leave but at least now they would always be in contact should either of them need the support of a friendly voice. Clay had promised to keep a sharp watch over the younger man and ensure he couldn't fall through the cracks.

Even though the pets program wasn't fully ready to implement yet, Aloysius couldn't resist getting it started, returning to the centre with several different cats and twelve random dogs that had taken his fancy. Most of them he let loose to pick their own companions, all except for a scraggly little black and white runt of a kitten. This little one, he took straight to Richard Mitchell and presented her with a fond smile. It was love at first sight, Richard taking the little darling and quickly deciding to call her Harriet as she snuggled into his chest happily.

That one special job finished, Aloysius said his final goodbyes to the staff and clients of A New Dawn Miami and climbed into the waiting car out the front. He really would have liked to have stayed longer but there were so many centres that needed his attention. With one final wave, he settled back in the seat and let his eyes drift closed as Christopher made his way to the airport.


	3. Texas

Vaulting the post and rail fence in one bound, Aloysius hit the ground running and laughed freely as a familiar black stallion broke from the herd and came galloping towards him. Skidding to a stop, Aloysius opened his arms and smiled bright as the sun as the majestic black slowed and walked up to him. Sighing softly, Aloysius curled his arms around that powerful neck and relaxed as the horse rested on his head on Aloysius' shoulder.  
'Hey there Shadow.' Aloysius uttered, relaxing into the strength of the young horse. 'I missed you too buddy. Thanks for being there when I needed a friend.'

All the stress lifted off Aloysius' shoulders as he stood there, sharing a peaceful moment with Shadow and enjoying the chance to reconnect with the gentle giant. Perhaps it was a little crazy but holding Shadow like this reminded him of the man peaceful moments he'd spent with Rufus. Maybe it was the strength he could feel under Shadow's soft coat or the way his mane would tickle his cheek like Rufus' beard always did but something always bought out the best memories.  
'I'm okay Shadow, I promise. It's not like it was and it's still not perfect but I'm okay. I know I ain't been back in a while but only because I've got a new purpose now. I've got a new job, far away from the horrors that stole my best friend. I wish I could show you, you'd like it there I think. I got great friends around me and a proper support network now. I'm gonna be okay now, it's time you focused on another poor soul who needs a caring ear that won't judge.' Aloysius sighed, patting Shadow's neck lovingly. 'I'm going to miss our chats, Shadow.'

Nickering softly, Shadow lifted his head and stepped back so he could butt Aloysius firmly in the chest. Rocking back on his heels, Aloysius chuckled and ran his hand over Shadow's neck again. He knew that sign, Shadow had used it against him many times in the past.  
'Alright, one more for old time's sake.' he agreed, showing off a little as he swung up onto Shadow's broad back and settled quickly.

Tossing his head, Shadow took off across the field happily, keeping to a trot so if Aloysius slipped off he wouldn't be seriously hurt. Holding on securely, Aloysius couldn't wipe the smile off his face as they circled the field three times. As much as he wanted to stay out here and continue to ride, Aloysius eventually guided Shadow over to where Christopher was waiting with his briefcase and travel bag in hand and the two cats draped over his shoulders. Dismounting smoothly, Aloysius brushed a few loose hairs off his pants and reached out to collect the cats.  
'You don't have to look so worried, Christopher. Shadow wouldn't hurt me; we've got a special bond.' Aloysius grinned, settling the cats on his shoulders comfortably. 'Spent a lot of time with him after I lost Rufus.'  
'I'm merely concerned you'll take a nasty fall, Gunny.' Christopher replied, holding out the travel bag and briefcase. 'A New Dawn needs a CEO still.'  
'I'll be more careful Christopher.' Aloysius promised, willing to do anything to reassure his old friend that he was safe here. 'You can take the rest of the week off. I'll be busy catching up on things and making sure everyone is happy here.'  
'Of course Gunny.' Christopher nodded, turning back to the waiting car.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Wandering into the main building of A New Dawn South Texas, Aloysius smiled softly as he looked around slowly. He really did love coming back here; it always had such a wonderful old world charm about it. The place had been designed to look like an old country homestead, from the exposed roof beams to the polished wooden floors. The walls were covered in trophies and ribbons from various equestrian shows all over the state and beyond; each one a proud achievement of someone within the New Dawn family.

Setting the cats down and watching them run off to explore, Aloysius smiled and rolled his shoulders as he headed towards the private room kept aside for him. It wasn't much; just a simple loft apartment over the main entrance hall but it was private and comfortable. Leaving his bag on the bed and slipping off his jacket, he slid back down to ground level and headed towards the admin desk.

Finding it so easy to relax as he wandered across the hardwood floor, he smiled at young Maddie Christie behind the desk and circled around to sit beside her. Maddie had served in the Navy for several years as a Lieutenant before a terrible accident left her confined to a wheelchair. Six years since joining the New Dawn family, she'd taken over the daily administration for this new Texas facility and honestly, he couldn't fault her dedication to their clients. Had he been a younger man, he might have been tempted by her. As it was, he kept his distance so she wasn't threatened by his dark past.  
'Everything under control here Maddie?' he asked, glancing at the computer screen beside her.  
'Of course, Mr Knight.' she smiled, tucking her hair back behind her ear. 'We're getting a lot of attention at the moment but it's nothing we can't handle.'  
'I knew I was right to put you in charge here.' Aloysius chuckled, accepting the client book she handed him. '85% occupied, that's incredible considering how new this facility is.'  
'We're still getting a lot of walk-ins too. Just this morning, four more arrived with Ricky.' Maddie nodded, shifting in her chair. 'Oh and the new stable complex opening is in two days.'  
'Ah, good. Did you get my email regarding a suggested name for the complex?' Aloysius nodded, looking up from the record book.  
'Yes, and I passed the information on as per your instructions. The sign will be delivered tomorrow.' she smiled, bringing up a photo of the sign on her computer. 'That's the design we came up with.'  
'It's perfect Maddie.' Aloysius praised, humbled by the simple sign and all that it meant.

Satisfied that everything was up to standard and all the basics were under control, Aloysius returned the record book to its home and settled back beside Maddie as she slid a folder towards him. Picking it up, Aloysius chuckled softly as he read over the prepared forms tucked neatly inside. He knew Maddie wouldn't abuse his trust, she was one of his best administrators; some of his other administrators couldn't be trusted with these forms.  
'There's no telling when I'll be able to get back here so this is probably a good idea.' he nodded, signing off on the expansion requests.  
'If our admission rates continue as they have, we'll need the extra space.' Maddie grinned, lifting her gaze as the door swung open again.

Looking up, Aloysius watched the scruffy looking woman approached the counter slowly, a little girl huddled against her side and looking around through her filthy brown hair. They were both painfully thin; their clothing ragged and shoes almost falling apart. The little girl was clutching a stained pink backpack; her mother had a badly damaged duffle bag slung over her shoulder.  
'Good afternoon, Ma'am. Welcome to A New Dawn Consolidated Military Support Services. How may we be of assistance today?' Maddie asked, sitting up straighter in her chair. 'My name is Maddie; I'm the senior administrator for this facility.'  
'Uh, hello. I'm Sadie Clarkson and this is my daughter Claire. We're in desperate need of help.' the woman replied, tightening her grip on her daughter.  
'Of course. Are you a veteran?' Maddie nodded, turning and reaching for the intake files.  
'Yes, I'm a Marine. Did two tours in Afghanistan as a nurse.' Sadie confirmed, approaching the desk slowly. 'I've already tried every other place around, this is our last hope.'  
'You are both welcome here.' Aloysius promised, getting to his feet. 'Welcome home Marine.'  
'Ooh-rah Marine.' Sadie smiled, offering out her hand. 'The haircut is a dead giveaway.'  
'Gunnery Sergeant Aloysius Knight, at your service Ma'am.' Aloysius smiled, shaking her hand quickly. 'If you'll come with me, I can get you settled in while Maddie finishes the paperwork.'  
'I just need you to fill this out and I can put you into the system.' Maddie added, holding out a clipboard. 'We have several housing options available.'  
'Anything with another Sergeant? Not really sure I'd feel comfortable living with an officer again.' Sadie asked, starting to fill out the required paperwork.  
'Certainly, cabin 36 should be perfect.' Maddie nodded, turning her focus back to her computer and typing quickly. 'You would be sharing with Army Sergeant Stephanie Buller and her son Toby, aged eight. He's a lovely young boy, I'm sure he'd love a new friend.'  
'Are you hungry Claire?' Aloysius asked, digging into the stockpile of snacks under the desk.  
'uh-ha.' she nodded, looking up at him with wide blue eyes.

Grabbing out a soft muesli bar, Aloysius came around the desk and crouched, opening the bar and offering it out to the young girl. Warily letting go of her mother, Claire reached out and took the bar, clutching it in both hands as she nibbled at it.  
'Thank you.' she uttered, looking up at Aloysius again.  
'You're part of this family now; we'll always be here to take care of you.' Aloysius promised, stroking her filthy hair softly.  
'Thank you so much for this. It's been so tough since we lost Craig.' Sadie sighed, handing the clipboard back to Maddie.  
'Everything will get better now, Sadie. You'll never have to worry now that you're part of the New Dawn family.' Aloysius promised, straightening up and heading back behind the desk to find the second key for cabin 36.

Key in hand, he tossed Sadie a muesli bar to chew on and made sure his briefcase wasn't likely to get in the way while he was otherwise occupied. Pausing for a moment, he grabbed one of the welcome packs always kept behind the admin desk and slipped it over his shoulder. Circling the desk again, he crouched and scooped Claire up then turned and offered Sadie his arm.  
'Don't worry about anything Sadie, you'll find everything you need in your cabin. Maddie will organise someone to deliver a bag of clothes for Claire along with anything else required.' he grinned, heading for the back door. 'Welcome to the New Dawn family.'  
'How long have you been living here?' Sadie asked, curling her arm through his and letting him lead her away.  
'I'm not a client here, I'm actually the owner and CEO of A New Dawn. My father started the company years ago and when he passed, I inherited the lot. I somehow manage to balance the needs of A New Dawn and my military service.' Aloysius explained, guiding her out the back of the main homestead and across the soft grass. 'You might hear people referring to me as Captain. I used to be a Captain in the Army but I left that behind years ago. My life took a few wrong turns until I rediscovered myself in the Marines and worked back up to Gunny.'  
'Yeah, I remember hearing something about a Marine Staff Sergeant taking a bullet to protect the president. That was you, right?' Sadie nodded, looking around at all the lovely cabins in neat rows behind the main homestead.  
'That was me, yeah. Still got the scars from that one…and boy did I get smoked by my Captain when I recovered.' Aloysius chuckled, turning down one of the neatly manicured walkways between the cabins.

Halfway down the path, he turned to one of the beautiful faux log cabins and made his way up the footpath. Stopping at the door, marked with a golden 36, he handed the key to Sadie and motioned for her to open the door. With tears in her eyes, she unlocked the door and stepped inside slowly. At first she didn't understand, the door just opened into a corridor but when Aloysius opened another door to the right, she stopped and stared at the living room revealed to her.  
'Welcome home ladies.' Aloysius smiled, setting Claire down and watching her run off to explore their side of the cabin. 'Stephanie is just across the hall if you have any questions. You'll find a new phone along with all your other personal needs in here.'  
'Thank you so much, for all of this.' Sadie gasped, throwing her arms around him. 'You have no idea how much this means.'  
'I do, Sadie. I know just how important A New Dawn is to all our veterans.' Aloysius replied, holding her close. 'You'll also fine a class schedule in the welcome pack. Not just for you but for Claire as well. We've only got one teacher at the moment but the plan is to build a school right here on the grounds.'  
'Claire hasn't been to school in three years. She's a long way behind.' Sadie admitted, releasing him slowly. 'I just couldn't afford it after Craig died.'  
'You don't have to worry about money anymore Sadie. A New Dawn will provide you with the support you need, whatever it is that you require.' Aloysius promised, brushing away a stray tear on her cheek. 'Miss Collins is a lovely lady, she'll make the time for Claire's education.'  
'I can't thank you enough for this.' Sadie insisted, stepping towards her home. 'I will never forget your kindness.'  
'We do what we can for our veterans. I thank you for your service, Sadie.' Aloysius grinned, resting one hand on her shoulder. 'I've got to run but someone will be around soon with clean clothes for Claire. They'll be able to help you with any questions you have.'  
'America needs more men like you, Gunny.' Sadie replied, turning and entering her home happily.  
'No they don't.' Aloysius muttered, turning and leaving the cabin.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Needing a break from the constant needs of his company and all that came with his position within A New Dawn, Aloysius headed down to the much larger building in the farthest corner of the complex. Down here, he could forget all about the burdens of his duty as a Marine and the burdens that came with owning the largest military focused non profit organisation in America. Down here, he could relax and remember good times long gone.

The building was absolutely massive, six stories tall and slightly larger than a football field. Solid, thick steel walls lined with several layers of insulation and lead helped to keep the noise down and prevented anyone from realising what was hidden inside this huge shed. Even satellites couldn't peer through the many protective layers around the shed. On the facility building list, it was labelled as a storage shed for all the extra supplies donated to A New Dawn but that wasn't totally truthful. Part of the shed was used for that but most of it was dedicated to a very special task.

Flipping out his access card, he swiped into the large building and made sure to lock the door securely behind him. This was one secret he didn't want anyone else to know about. Satisfied that the place was secure, he brushed aside the curtain and stepped past. Breath catching in his throat, he stopped and stared at the cherished beauty parked in front of him and smiled softly. Only one other man knew this was hidden here and that's exactly the way Aloysius intended to keep it.

Striding across the concrete floor, he reached up and placed one hand on the chill black plating, stroking over an old scar on the familiar aluminium skin. It still hurt to see the Raven sitting silent and cold but Aloysius kept his word about her. No other man would ever take this grand old lady racing through the clouds. The Black Raven would always belong to Rufus, her current caretaker understood that and respected the choice.

Stepping back, Aloysius couldn't help but smile as he took in the old fighter again. Shining with love and care, she looked ready for another mission, wings still laden with the very same missiles she'd been carrying that fateful day Rufus hadn't come back to her. Cockpit canopy polished to a perfect gleam and her chrome gleaming under the harsh lights, she was absolutely beautiful and clearly in the very best of hands.

Jumping a little when he heard someone behind him, Aloysius turned and smiled at the sight of her new caretaker approaching with one of the old service manuals under his arm and a toolbox in his hand. Nathanael Boon, born in Singapore but raised in Louisiana, had been an obvious choice when it came to taking care of the Raven. A former Air Force Captain, he'd been shot down and suffered serious injuries. The Air Force discharged him and he'd ended up in Texas with no place else to go. Now he was one of Aloysius' top men, splitting his time between looking after the Raven and helping new arrivals settle into the facility.

Turning his attention back to the silent warbird, Aloysius sighed softly as he remembered all the great times he'd spent in the rear seat, watching Rufus dance through the air and discussing tactics. He still missed those times, probably always would but he could take comfort in knowing that the majestic fighter was still here.  
'How've you been Nathanael?' Aloysius asked, settling back against the forward landing gear.  
'Can't complain really. Always plenty to get done.' Nathanael replied, setting the toolbox down safely. 'Having some trouble wit this plasma stealth unit.'  
'Yeah, it always was a bit touchy.' Aloysius chuckled, leaning back comfortably. 'Wish I could help but Rufus always kept those details secret.'  
'I'm working it out, it's just trickier than anything I'm used to.' Nathanael grinned, flipping open the manual in his hands. 'I promised I'd keep her in flight condition and I meant it.'  
'I really appreciate that, Nathanael. Logically I know it doesn't matter if some of her systems fall into disrepair but it feels like a betrayal to Rufus.' Aloysius nodded, looking up slowly. 'She was always his leading lady.'  
'Got nothing to do with logic, she's all you've got left of someone important. Makes sense that you'd want to keep her in perfect condition.' Nathanael shrugged, putting the manual down. 'She'd due for her monthly system check, if you've got the time I'd sure appreciate some help with the landing.'  
'I'd like that, haven't seen her fly in years.' Aloysius agreed, getting to his feet. 'Couldn't bear to see her go up without Rufus at the controls.'  
'You sure you're up for this?' Nathanael asked, moving the toolbox and manual out of the way.  
'I need to do this. I owe it to Rufus to keep his Raven flying.' Aloysius sighed, looking up at the silent fighter. 'Even if she is restricted to indoor flights.'  
'At least you know she'll always be safe here.' Nathanael shrugged, wandering over to collect two helmets from the rack on the wall.

Slipping on the helmet, Aloysius smiled fondly as he felt that familiar warmth at his back again. He was getting used to that feeling, a constant reminder that Rufus was still with him through everything he endured.  
**fly her Boss, I showed you how. I'm with you, always.** Rufus' voice whispered across his mind, reminding him of skills long unused and rarely thought about.  
'Hold a minute, Nathanael.' Aloysius called, securing his helmet fully and darting forward.  
'What's the problem?' Nathanael asked, pausing part way up into the fighter.  
'Just trust me on this.' Aloysius grinned, motioning for Nathanael to climb down. 'It's been a while but I remember.'  
'He taught you how to fly?' Nathanael questioned, dropping back to the ground.  
'Only the basics, enough to get out of trouble if Rufus was hurt.' Aloysius nodded, scrambling up the ladder and swinging into the cockpit.

Feeling that loving warmth fill him as he buckled in, Aloysius sealed the cockpit and breathed deep. It had been years since the last time he sat in front seat, even longer since he actually lifted the Raven from the ground.  
'I've got this…I've got this…I've got this.' Aloysius uttered, going through the starting procedures and feeling the beautiful old bird coming to life under him. 'Come on Alley Cat, let's fly.'  
**fly Boss, I'm right here.**

Letting the old memories take over and putting his trust in the warmth spreading through him, Aloysius kept his touch light and gave her just enough power to lift off the concrete. Smile growing as he held her steady and continued to rise slowly, he kept checking his monitors and eased up a little more.  
"How's she feel?" Nathanael asked, somewhere down below him.  
'Smooth and steady. No warning lights showing.' Aloysius reported, scanning the monitors again.  
"Okay, try turning her to port."  
'Port, aye.' Aloysius confirmed, starting to ease her around to the left. 'How's my clearance?'  
"You've still got plenty of space."

Relaxing into the seat a little more, Aloysius put the old bird through her paces, constantly checking his monitors and listening for any warnings from Nathanael. Calm and focused, he pushed her to the limits possible in such an enclosed space before gently settling her back down on the concrete.  
"Hold it there for a moment, I need to rotate the tires."  
'Copy that.' Aloysius confirmed, entering a balanced hover a few feet off the ground. 'How's that?'  
"Perfect, just hold her steady there."  
'Wilco.' Aloysius nodded, focused on his monitors and the warmth in his chest.  
"Alright, set her down."

Regretting that this perfect moment had to come to an end, Aloysius eased the Raven down again and started the shutdown procedures. Just a few minutes in the air, a few minutes when he could forget about everything else and just concentrate on staying level and safe.  
'Thank you Rufus. I needed that.' he uttered, closing his eyes as the Russian beauty went quiet.  
**I'm always right here**

~#~#~#~#~#~

Retreating to his loft apartment where no one could see him, Aloysius indulged in a private panic moment. It was so typical of his luck, the last two days had been amazing, full of laughter and easy friendship as he made his rounds of the complex. Today though, well it was a totally different problem. Today they were officially opening the new stable complex and since he was here for it, he'd been handed the responsibility of giving a speech in front of all the dignitaries and the whole community at the South Texas centre.

He could order men into battle, plan incredibly complex missions and change the plans on the move. He had no trouble with screaming at troublesome recruits and motivating his Training Battalion, he could even motivate his fellow DIs with little trouble. He was at home arguing with his fellow Sergeants, even when it turned into a brawl where no one else could see them. He had no problem letting fly with his opinions, usually that landed him in deep shit but he kept letting rip with whatever was on his mind.

He would rather do any of that than what he'd just been handed. He couldn't handle public speaking, he always ended up doing a runner from the podium and disappearing from view for a few days. It was bad enough just briefing a handful of recruits during The Crucible…stepping out in front of all these strangers was doing his head in something fierce.  
'Calm down Gunny.' Christopher called, climbing up behind him and setting a garment bag on his bed. 'Come on, calm down. It's not that bad.'  
'You know I can't do public speaking. Everything I've done and I still freak over speeches.' Aloysius sighed, turning to Christopher as he set a larger travel bag on the bed.  
'This time will be different Aloysius. You're a different man now, you've not that same young man trying to fill his fathers' shoes.' Christopher nodded, reaching out to rest his hands on Aloysius' shoulders firmly. 'You've got this.'  
'No, I can't do this. I'm not a public speaker.' Aloysius insisted, cradling his head in his hands.  
'You can and you will. You will, not for you but for Rufus. Today is for him, to make sure no one ever forgets that brilliant pilot. Speak for him. Face your fear for him. Hold your head high and honour him.' Christopher pushed, giving Aloysius a gentle shake. 'Come on, he's earned this.'

Taking a deep breath, Aloysius lifted his gaze slowly and nodded faintly. That was a low blow, he'd never forgive himself if he screwed up this special day for Rufus but it was still a terrifying prospect to get up and speak in front of all those people.  
'You're not going out there as Mr Knight, business man. You're going out there as Gunnery Sergeant Knight, Medal of Honour recipient. You'll hold your head high and make this day all about Rufus. I had your uniform cleaned and pressed, ready for today. I also have your Medal of Honour ready to be worn again.' Christopher continued, meeting Aloysius' gaze. 'You've got this Gunny. You've faced down bigger problems than this opening. You've got this under control.'  
'You'll be there?' Aloysius asked, squaring his shoulders slowly.  
'I'll be wherever you need me, Gunny.' Christopher smiled; the same promise he'd been making since Aloysius was just a little boy.  
'I'm going to need you at the front of that crowd. There's a photo of Rufus on the bedside table, hold onto it and make sure I can see it from the podium.' Aloysius instructed, still nervous as hell but he could face this fear.  
'I can do that.' Christopher smiled, squeezing Aloysius' shoulders firmly. 'Go take a shower, the opening is in 45 minutes.'

Chuckling softly as Aloysius grabbed clean underwear and bolted for the bathroom, Christopher turned his attention to the bags he'd placed on the bed. Opening the overnight bag first, he lifted out the precious case containing Aloysius' Medal of Honour and set it safely on the pillow before lifting out the other special boxes inside. First the jewellery box, then the medal case, the cover carrying case and finally his sword case. Setting everything out on the bed and packing the boxes away safely, he turned his attention to the garment bag and started arranging Aloysius' uniform for him.

Technically Jeremy should have been doing this, he'd been Aloysius' manservant since Aloysius had turned 18. Knowing Aloysius' penchant for panicking over public speaking, Jeremy had willingly handed over the uniform and let Christopher take care of their boss this time. Both men knew that Aloysius only barely tolerated Jeremy's presence at the best of times so today was probably a good day for Jeremy to stay well out of sight.

Making sure that everything was arranged properly, Christopher turned and opened the drawer of the bedside table. Lifting out a highly polished wood box, he flipped it open and looked at the sunglasses nestled safely inside. Thinking for a moment, he lifted out the dark blue ones and put the box back in the drawer. Pulling a special cloth from his pocket, he polished the lenses to a mirror shine and set them neatly beside Aloysius' Marine cover.

Returning to the bedroom, still drying off his hair, Aloysius looked across the neatly arranged uniform and smiled proudly. Reasonably satisfied that his hair was dry enough, he tossed the towel over the rack in the corner and started getting dressed. With each piece, he stood straighter and taller, his pride in the uniform clear to see as the transformation took place.  
'Time?' he asked, tucking in his shirt quickly.  
'30 minutes.' Christopher replied, picking up the tunic and holding it out for Aloysius.  
'Damn, I'm slipping. Usually it's only ten minutes for a shower.' Aloysius muttered, slipping on his tunic and starting on the buttons.  
'Relax, Maddie won't start the ceremony until you're in place.' Christopher chuckled, stepping back and sinking to one knee smoothly.  
'I know but I still don't want to be late.' Aloysius nodded, slipping on his shoes and letting Christopher lace them up as he worked on the rest of his uniform.

Turning to the full length mirror in the corner, Aloysius made sure his uniform looked perfect and smiled softly as Christopher came up beside him and held out the dark blue frames. Tossing the scratched black frames onto the bed, Aloysius slipped the blue frames into place and nodded faintly. The blue looked good with this uniform, dark enough to hopefully avoid too much notice. Standing tall, he accepted his cover and held still as Christopher secured his Medal of Honour around his neck and made sure it was sitting properly.  
'Ten minutes to go, we'd better get moving.' Christopher warned, turning to collect the framed photo from the bedside table.  
'I still don't want to do this.' Aloysius muttered, squaring his shoulders and settling his cover in place. 'For Rufus.'  
'NSDQ.' Christopher called, climbing down carefully.  
'Ooh-rah!' Aloysius replied, climbing down quickly and making sure his sword was sitting right.

Sending Christopher to take his place, Aloysius made his way across the grass and listened to the whispers of disbelief from his staff and some of the clients. They were all in awe of their leader, many of the veterans offering respectful salutes as he walked past them. Burying his anxiety, Aloysius returned the salutes as he approached the trailer that had been set up near the huge stable complex. Head held high, he climbed up onto the trailer and joined the other dignitaries seated up here. He couldn't see Christopher from here but he could feel the warmth at his back again and hoped that would be enough to get him through this.

Listening to the introduction Maddie gave, he swallowed quickly and stood, stepping up to the podium and looking over the crowd. There was Christopher, front and centre with the photo held safely to his chest. Taking a deep breath, Aloysius focused on that precious photo and tried to ignore the rest of the crowd.  
'Honourable Mayor, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen…did I forget anyone? Oh, I can't forget the staff and clients of A New Dawn South Texas. I am Gunnery Sergeant Aloysius Knight, currently serving at Parris Island as a Drill Instructor. I am also the owner and CEO of A New Dawn Consolidated Military Support Services. Firstly, I'd like to thank you all for coming out here today to share in this special commemoration. A New Dawn is all about our veterans, those that made it home and those that paid the ultimate price for our country. Today, we pay tribute to another fallen hero, Lieutenant Rufus Patrick Michael McKenzie, US Army. Lieutenant McKenzie served with distinction, flying proudly as a member of the NightStalkers. A brilliant pilot and a good man, Lieutenant McKenzie strove to live every day by the Army values and willingly gave his life for the land he loved so much. I had the honour of meeting Lieutenant McKenzie once and I know he would be embarrassed by all this attention.' Aloysius offered, hating that he still couldn't reveal how precious Rufus really was to him.

Swallowing his grief and reaching deep for strength, Aloysius turned and made his way along the trailer to where the bright red ribbon was hanging across the wide doors of the new stable complex. Climbing down from the trailer, he drew his issued sword and tucked it under the ribbon in readiness.  
'It gives me great pleasure to declare the Lieutenant Rufus McKenzie memorial stable complex officially open!' he called, the razor sharp edge parting the ribbon easily.  
'Coffee and snacks will be served on the lawn shortly. Feel free to stay and get to know the staff and clients of the centre.' Maddie added, rolling over to Aloysius. 'You did great, Sir.'  
'Don't ever do that again, Maddie. I detest public speaking.' Aloysius sighed, sheathing his sword smoothly. 'Next time, find someone else to speak.'  
'Of course Gunny.' Maddie smiled, reaching out to him. 'Would you mind helping me down though?'  
'Come on, I've got you.' Aloysius grinned, waiting for her to transfer down onto the trailer before lifting down her chair and going back for her. 'I'll be there in just a minute Maddie.'  
'Of course Gunny.' she nodded, making her way into the crowd. 'Excuse me, can I get past please?'

Looking up at the sign over the doors, Aloysius smiled faintly as he let the moment wash over him. He was ready for this day to be over, he didn't really want to spend the next however long making nice with these people when he could have been going over everything and making sure the centre was running properly.  
'Mr Knight, how is it that you can afford to take care of all these veterans but there are no centres under the New Dawn banner for refugees?' someone asked, coming up and sticking a microphone in his face.  
'Ma'am, it's all in the name. My father created A New Dawn to help and support military veterans coming back from the worst places across the world. Every day, 22 veterans take their own lives. That's 22 people who put their lives on the line overseas but had no place to come home to when their war ended. Those are the people that I will always protect and encourage. The day that one of those illegal immigrants comes to any of the New Dawn centres and proves they served in the US armed forces, we will let them in. until then, we are full to bursting with veterans who desperately need our help. I stand for veterans, not illegal immigrants.' Aloysius replied, brushing aside the microphone. 'Now, unless you have questions regarding the South Texas facility and the opening today, I have other matters to attend to.'

One hand resting on his sword, Aloysius calmly stepped around the news crew and plunged deeper into the crowd. He honestly couldn't believe the nerve of that woman, insinuating that caring for veterans wasn't enough and that he should be spending his fortune on those illegal immigrants coming in from every direction.  
'Don't let them get you down, Gunny. Ignorant fools don't know any better.' Christopher grinned, falling into place beside him.  
'I can't help but worry, Christopher. If that woman is suggesting we house illegals here, I can't help but wonder how many A New Dawn centres have already broken protocol and thrown open the doors to all sorts of trouble.' Aloysius sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'I'll just have to pay a lot more attention to what's going on and make it clear that A New Dawn is for veterans only.'  
'That could get messy.' Christopher warned, looking up at Aloysius with a frown.  
'I know, but what else can I do?' Aloysius agreed, waving away another news crew. 'No interviews, I've got other business to attend to.'  
'Surely you have something to say about this opening.' the young man coaxed, keeping his microphone back from Aloysius.  
'Of course I'm pleased to be here to open this new complex but I wish places like this weren't necessary. 22 veterans die every day, most because their families can't handle the demons that follow them back from combat assignments. Yet all I ever hear is people screaming for support for refugees and illegal immigrants. When did people stop caring about the men and women who risked everything for our freedom and liberty? When did some Mexican illegal become more important than our servicemen and women? As a Marine, it horrifies me but as a human, it disgusts me that American citizens are so willing to spit on their war fighters and embrace those who simply want to mooch off our tax dollars.' Aloysius sighed, looking down at his shoes. 'Our veterans were willing to sacrifice their lives and 99 percent of Americans won't even stop to buy a homeless vet a cup of coffee. Where's the honour in that?'  
'There's no honour in that.' the young man replied, offering out his hand. 'Thank you for your service, Gunnery Sergeant.'  
'Thank you for listening, young man. Now it's up to you to make a difference for these veterans. I can't do it on my own.' Aloysius smiled, shaking his hand firmly. 'Most don't want a handout, just a hand up.'  
'I'll remember.' the young man promised, meeting Aloysius' gaze calmly. 'I'll do my best to help as many as I can.'  
'That's all any of us can do. Even if just half of all Americans did their best to help just five veterans a week, we could put a stop to the pointless suicides of so many.' Aloysius smiled, turning sharply and walking away again.

Twisting through the crowd, constantly on the watch for more news cameras, Aloysius managed to slip out of the crowd and make his escape, disappearing into the main homestead before anyone realised he'd left the party. Straight up into his loft, he stripped out of his uniform and put everything away neatly before hunkering down in his favourite corner up here and picking up his latest reading material. He trusted his staff to keep the cameras away, they knew he wasn't a fan of the attention.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Getting through the rest of the week without any more nasty surprises, Aloysius did one last check of his loft and slung his travel bag over his shoulder. Climbing down for the last time, he called Alley and Raven to him, hoisting the pair onto his shoulders as soon as they came running. Looking around at the homestead, he smiled softly and wandered over to collect his briefcase from the desk.

South Texas was in good hands with Maddie, she'd given her word that she would never let any non-veterans make their home in the complex and that was good enough for him. He'd sent out a sternly worded email to all A New Dawn staff, reminding them that their primary concern was for veterans and that illegals weren't allowed in any of the centres, no matter what their story happened to be. He also made it extremely clear that if he found any centres were harbouring anyone aside from veterans, the staff would face immediate dismissal from their posts.

Briefcase in hand, he said a final farewell to Maddie and slipped out before anyone else realised he was leaving. He preferred to come and go quietly, catching everyone unaware so he got to see the very best and worst of his staff. Handing his bag to Christopher, he slipped into his Rolls Royce and settled back for a little peace and quiet before the next flight.


	4. Washington DC

Thankful for the chance to be alone after weeks spent surrounded by so many people, Aloysius made his way through the almost silent cemetery, looking around at the perfect rows of headstones spreading out across the manicured lawns. So many incredible men and women, from wars long past and most recent, all laid out in their eternal rest. One day, Aloysius would probably end up here too; he'd earned that right and would make sure he ended up at least close to Rufus. He didn't really have any place else he wanted to be buried.

Finding his way easily, even though it had been years since he'd last had the chance to come back, Aloysius stopped in front of Rufus' headstone and sunk to his knees. Reaching out, he placed a simple bouquet of twelve red roses against the stone and sighed heavily as he let his mind drift to better times.  
'Sorry I haven't been back in a while, buddy. I've been busy getting my life back on track. I kept my promises, it's been tough but I made it. Every day in your memory, it's so hard to keep that promise but I will not fail. I miss you so much, I'm not strong enough to let go completely. I'd give anything to have you back, I'm not cut out to live the solo life anymore.' he uttered, resting one hand on the chill stone as he swallowed weakly. 'Happy birthday buddy. I haven't stopped loving you, I never will, Rufus.'

Slipping the pack off his shoulder, he spread out an old camouflage blanket on the grass and shifted to sit as he unpacked the simple meal he'd prepared. Nothing fancy, just spicy chicken bites, mixed vegetables and potato salad. What made it special was the fact that all three recipes had come from Rufus and his skills in the kitchen. Setting the beers safely off to the side, Aloysius got comfortable and started recounting everything he'd gone through since the funeral. Deep down, he knew Rufus already knew about all of it but there was something comforting about talking it through again.

With his phone on silent and no urgent problems, Aloysius found it easy to relax on the old blanket and work through everything bubbling around in his head. It was so easy to discuss his life outside the Marines, a life that he'd willingly shared with Rufus whenever there was time and it was deemed safe enough to be seen on American soil. He even spoke of the Black Raven, never disclosing the location, just reassuring Rufus that she was safe.

Finishing his meal as he reached the end of the long catch up, he drained the second beer and packed the dirty dishes away. Tucking the remaining bottles away, he shifted off the blanket and tucked the old blanket back into the pack as well. He still ached for Rufus, doing his best to survive with a huge hole beside him and in his heart.   
'I am your man, whatever you need of me I will be right here for you and you alone. Nothing shall ever be more important in my life than your continuing happiness, comfort and peace.' he uttered, stroking over the name carved into the stone. 'Sleep in peace Rufus, I've got the watch.'

Shouldering his back and getting to one knee, he couldn't resist leaning forward to place a soft kiss against the stone. He longed to feel those sweet lips again but this was as close as he could ever get. Sighing heavily, he stood and stared down at the stone and the twelve dark red roses wrapped in blue. Every year, it was the same gift left on the grave but this was the first time he'd actually made it back.  
'So this is where you disappeared to.' a familiar voice remarked, sending a finger of dread down Aloysius' back. 'You're a hard man to find Knight.'  
'Only when I don't want to be found, Larkham.' Aloysius replied, turning slowly to find his old competitor standing behind him. 'Do you really have so little respect that you'd fight in a cemetery? Let alone this particular national cemetery.'  
'I didn't come here to fight.' Larkham shrugged, looking around slowly. 'Where's he hiding? I know you, Knight; you never stray far from that pilot of yours.'  
'He's right here, Larkham.' Aloysius sighed, stepping to the side so Larkham could see the stone properly. 'He's been right here for several years now. Killed on the job.'

Bracing for a fight as Larkham approached, Aloysius growled a warning to stay back but Larkham ignored him. He calmly knelt at the headstone and removed the red flower pinned to his jacket lapel, cradling the delicate bloom in both hands for a moment. It took Aloysius a moment but he finally realised it was a Poppy, the British flower of remembrance for fallen servicemen.  
'They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old: age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.' Larkham intoned, the words vaguely familiar.  
'We will remember them.' Aloysius repeated, still trying to recall where he'd heard this before.  
'They were young, as we are young. They served, giving freely of themselves. To them, we pledge, amid the winds of time, to carry their torch and never forget. We will remember them.' Larkham continued, placing the lone flower beside the roses.  
'We will remember them.' Aloysius promised, still thinking about the words.

Ah, now he remembered where he'd heard them before. London, the year after the fateful mission with Scarecrow. They'd just happened to be in London in early November and had paused for the Armistice Day commemorations. For one cold morning, they could stop and remember their friends and comrades, without the fear of a competitor trying to eliminate them.  
'I'll never forget some of the stunts I saw Rufus pull in that Sukhoi of his.' Larkham remarked, slowly getting to his feet. 'He was a true Master of the Skies.'  
'He was always happiest at the controls of the Raven. Sure, he'd help with ground missions but the air was his home.' Aloysius sighed, staring at the headstone. 'Nothing could touch him in the air… he died with his boots on the ground.'  
'So you left the game behind.' Larkham nodded, daring to rest one hand on Aloysius' shoulder. 'I can understand that.'  
'His dying wish was for me to go back to something safer than hunting.' Aloysius shrugged, wary of Larkham but not to the extent that he was willing to fight here.  
'Smart move. It's not like it used to be.' Larkham agreed, dropping his hand. 'Hasn't been the same since you teamed up with that Marine and raised hell.'  
'Now that was an adventure. Scarecrow made quite a dent in hunter numbers, along with taking out Killian for murdering his girl.' Aloysius agreed, a soft smile on his lips as he remembered that mission. 'He scored a lot of big names during that mess.'  
'Yeah, I heard he hijacked The Hungarian.' Larkham chuckled, looking down at the grave again and suddenly sobering. 'Care to relive those days over a beer?'  
'I'd rather a coffee. Gotta get back to work in a couple hours and need to sober up.' Aloysius suggested, meeting Larkham's gaze calmly. 'I know a place not far from here.'  
'Coffee sounds good too. Lead the way, I'm not too familiar with this area.' Larkham agreed, moving back a step. 'Rest in peace, Rufus. There's no animosity here anymore.'  
'He'd get a kick out of that.' Aloysius grinned, sinking back to his knees. 'I'll keep you safe, buddy. It's all gonna be okay.'

Getting back to his feet, Aloysius made sure he had everything and whispered a promise to come back more regularly before turning to Larkham and starting the long walk back to the gates. There was one thing still bothering him though, one particularly important thing that couldn't be ignored.  
'Damon?'  
'Yeah?'  
'Promise that you won't tell anyone where Rufus is sleeping. I dread to think what might happen if our old competitors find out where he is. You know as well as I do that they'll do anything to bring me back into the game.'  
'You have my word, Aloysius. I won't tell anyone about this place, or that you're still around.'  
'I appreciate that. I'm out of practise, too busy with other stuff to keep the old skills going. Best if the Black Knight just disappears.'  
'I could start up a rumour, spread it around to our competitors that you went down over the ocean somewhere. It's not much but it might just keep the assholes off your back.'  
'That would be helpful, Damon. I know just the hunter to pin it on too. Not that IG88 wasn't capable but this particular hunter was even more trouble.'  
'Ahh, I think I know just who you're talking about. The Black Hunter…yeah, she's probably the only one who could match Rufus' skills.'  
'Can you still handle the story?'  
'Yeah, leave it to me Aloysius. Haven't heard much about Hunter for a few years, so it shouldn't hard to spread it around that she nailed the Raven and dropped you into the ocean somewhere.'  
'Pacific Ocean, don't bother being too specific.'  
'Sounds like a good plan. So Black Hunter shot the Raven down over the Pacific, not sure where but I heard her bragging about it a few years ago.'  
'Perfect. That should be enough to get any remaining competitors to back down. And if Hunter does show up again, she'll claim that rumour even if she doesn't believe it. Just make sure you spread it around as much as possible.'  
'I've got it covered Aloysius. I'll make sure every mercenary, gun for hire and bounty hunter on the planet knows that you went down in flames.'  
'Good, hopefully that means I can focus on other matters instead of constantly watching for any other competitors.'  
'You were a strong competitor Knight, it's a real shame to lose you. I understand why you walked away, seriously thought about it after that big hunt but I wasn't ready.'  
'It's not easy to walk away from the hunt, I know. But sometimes it's the best choice Damon.'  
'I'll think about it again. Not really sure I want to give it up though. You know what I mean?'  
'Sometimes you just have to walk away from the big dollars.'

~#~#~#~#~#~

Still not totally sure how he felt about Larkham knowing he was still alive, Aloysius tried not to think about it too much as he relaxed in the back seat of his local Bentley and watched the city outside. He preferred to spend his downtime at the rural centres, enjoying the fresh air and open space. Unfortunately, many of his city centres also needed his attention so he was forced to return to the big smoke time and time again.

Spotting a homeless man huddled in a doorway as a group of people threw rubbish at him, Aloysius growled and instructed Christopher to park the car. Stepping out before the car had even stopped moving, he hurried towards the homeless man and forced the disgraceful crowd back from the injured man. Wherever he'd been, he'd lived through hell and come back home, only to he disrespected simply for trying to survive. Wherever he'd been, he'd lost both legs at the knee, his mobility now entirely dependant on the old skateboard he was sitting on.

Taking a risk and putting his back to the crowd, Aloysius took in the stained and filthy uniform jacket the homeless man was wearing and frowned as he recognised at least some of the patches sewn onto it.  
'Here we go, another do-gooder ruining our country.'  
'How dare you! This man is a veteran, he put his life on the line for ignorant assholes like you.' Aloysius snapped, looking back at the small crowd. 'What gives you the right to spit on another man just because life dealt him a bad hand?'  
'Aloysius?' the homeless man asked, lifting his head slowly. 'It's me, Eric.'  
'Eric? Shit, what happened to you?' Aloysius gasped, reaching out to brush his filthy hair back. 'I've been looking everywhere for you.'  
'I don't wanna talk about it.' Eric muttered, hunching up tighter. 'I'm so scared, Knight.'  
'It's okay now Eric. I'll take care of you.' Aloysius soothed, slipping off his jacket and wrapping it around Eric's shoulders. 'I know a place where you'll be safe and get the care you need.'  
'I wouldn't do that if I were you.' Christopher warned, drawing Aloysius' attention away from Eric.

Right behind him, a young man was holding a knife overhead, aiming to drive it into Knight's back. Christopher had seen it and now held his own favourite knife in hand, ready to defend Aloysius from this crowd. Nodding slowly, Aloysius turned his attention back to Eric and shuffled closer, waiting for the younger man to make the choice.  
'I trust you, Aloysius.' Eric nodded, leaning forward and resting one hand on Aloysius' shoulder.  
'I'll take care of everything, Eric.' Aloysius promised, wrapping Eric in his arms and lifting him from his skateboard. 'Anything you desperately want to keep?'  
'Just my duffle, it's got all my stuff in it. One of those bastards took it though.' Eric uttered, pressing closer to Aloysius.  
'I'll get it.' Christopher nodded, putting his knife away and reaching inside his jacket.  
'Andrew will be so relieved to know you're safe. He's been worried sick about you.' Aloysius added, supporting Eric with both hands as he stood.

Half turning so they could both watch Christopher do his thing, Aloysius couldn't help but chuckle as dear old Chris made his way through the crowd of young punks with his pocket stun gun, shocking each one until they were flaked out on the ground twitching uncontrollably. Making his way through the group, he picked up each dropped item and looked to Eric for confirmation of ownership. Finding the duffle stuffed in a nearby garbage can, Christopher packed everything inside safely and cradled the bag carefully, making sure nothing could spill out the split seam on the bottom.

Turning smoothly, careful not to cause any further embarrassment for Eric, Aloysius motioned to the skateboard in the doorway as he started walking towards the Bentley he could see parked nearby. He couldn't believe that the local New Dawn centre hadn't already found Eric and taken him in from the cold.  
'Where are we going?' Eric asked, clinging tighter to Aloysius.  
'I'm taking you to A New Dawn. They'll take care of you.' Aloysius replied, smiling softly as Chris stepped past and opened the back door for him.  
'No, anywhere but there. My grandfather is on the board of directors there.' Eric pleaded, fighting against Aloysius' grip.  
'What? Oh hell no, I am not letting that pompous asshole take up a position in my company.' Aloysius snarled, setting Eric in the back seat and reaching for one of the general reports he'd been reading. 'Eric, I need you to trust me on this. I'm going to take care of you. Here, take a look at this and you'll understand.'  
'I do trust you Aloysius.' Eric nodded, accepting the page and scanning over the list revealed to him. 'You're the owner of A New Dawn?'  
'Yeah, it's all mine. So I have the power to boot your grandfather out.' Aloysius grinned, buckling Eric in securely and setting his torn duffle in the foot well. 'Straight to the centre Chris. This needs to be sorted out now.'  
'Of course Gunny.' Chris nodded, slipping in behind the wheel as Aloysius settled beside Eric.

Quietly seething as he considered what he'd just been told, Aloysius pulled out his phone and hit the speed dial for the Washington centre. This wasn't the general access line, no this was the direct line straight to the front desk that would guarantee him a prompt response. He was the only person with this specific phone number.  
"Good morning Mr Knight. How can I be of assistance?" an older man answered.  
'Good morning Robert. I need you to call in the management team for an urgent meeting. I will be at the centre in five minutes and if they are not in the board room, they face immediate dismissal. I also require you to arrange for a new wheelchair to be waiting in the lobby, along with a trusted member of the team to take care of a new arrival.' Aloysius directed, reaching out to rest one hand on Eric's shoulder.  
"It will be taken care of, sir. Please hurry, this new senior manager is horrible, he has no place here. He's kicking out many of our long term clients."  
'I'll be there real soon Robert. Hold strong and make sure no one leaves just yet. I'll make this right again.' Aloysius promised, eyes hard and narrow. 'See if you can gather the rest of the staff and clients in the lobby. I want everyone to witness this.'  
"I'll take care of everything sir."

Tired squealing as Chris swung into the open space in front of the main doors, Aloysius didn't even hesitate, bounding out of the car and gathering Eric into his arms. He wasn't overly surprised to find the front doors locked, disappointed and hurt but not surprised, shifting his grip on Eric, he pulled out his all access card and unlocked the doors, then sent them flying open with a well placed kick. Tucking the card away, he stalked into the lobby and looked around slowly.

Just as he'd expected, Richard McKenzie was standing at the main desk, a dark look ion his face and several other men in suits behind him. Aside from McKenzie's small group, the lobby was deserted and silent. Even Robert was gone, no doubt Richard had kicked him out for daring to plot against him.  
'I would have thought you'd learned after the last time we tangled, Richard.' Aloysius called, gently setting Eric down in the nearest armchair. 'This time it's personal.'  
'I do believe this time I will win, Knight. You just illegally entered my complex.' Richard scoffed, glancing at one of the men beside him. 'Arrest this trespasser.'  
'Your complex? I'd love to know who you paid off to get that idea. This is A New Dawn's DC centre and I am still the owner and CEO of A New Dawn!' Aloysius countered, glancing at the man coming towards him. 'You have no place here Richard.'  
'Don't you even think about touching him!' Christopher yelled, his voice carrying over the distinctive sound of a pumping shotgun. 'Nobody move!'  
'Well that's effective Christopher.' Aloysius remarked, still watching Richard and his henchmen.  
'I take my job seriously, Gunny.' Christopher nodded, keeping his shotgun on Richard. 'I called for reinforcements as well.'  
'Perfect. Now it's just a waiting game.' Aloysius grinned, eyes narrowing behind his glasses. 'You will never claim my company Richard.'

Minutes later, the doors came flying open again and in rushed several local police officers, pistols drawn as they filed past Aloysius and Christopher. Not one of them even looked twice at the fancy chauffeur standing there with a highly polished Remington 870 pressed to his shoulder.  
'What seems to be the problem here, Mr Knight?' one asked, stopping beside Aloysius.  
'Those men there attempted to steal this centre away from the veterans of DC.' Aloysius replied, turning his attention to the officer. 'I don't know for sure how much damage they have done to our reputation here but I will strive to fix as much as possible over the next week.'  
'That explains why we've seen an increase in homeless veterans lately.' she nodded, holstering her pistol smoothly. 'I can put out a call to spread the word that A New Dawn is once again in your hands and welcoming them home again.'  
'I'd certainly appreciate that, Ma'am. I can see I'm going to be extremely busy over the next few days, trying to sort all this out.' Aloysius sighed, reaching out to take the shotgun from Christopher carefully. 'Chris, go see if you can find Robert or any one else. We need to get this place up and running again.'  
'Of course Gunny.' Christopher nodded, hurrying past the admin desk to start his search.  
'You lose Richard. You tried to steal this facility and now you will pay for that. A New Dawn will remain in Knight hands and your tainted family will never set foot within my halls.' Aloysius continued, returning to Eric's side.  
'Then I will take my grandson with me, Knight.' Richard snarled, resisting the officers trying to arrest him.  
'No, he's my family now. We went through basic together, he is my brother. You turned him away when he needed help, forced him to live on the streets while you tarnished A New Dawn with your presence. He is welcome, the rest of your pathetic family is not.' Aloysius corrected, hoisting Eric onto his back. 'Let's get you cleaned up Eric.'  
'Gunny, they chained the access doors.' Christopher called, turning away from the five sets of doors leading out of the lobby. 'It's a nine digit, three stage code.'

Swearing up a storm, Aloysius stalked across the lobby and gently sat Eric down again before approaching the first door. Drawing his favourite old USP from inside his belt, he checked the magazine quickly and nodded sharply.  
'Move away from the doors!' he yelled, thumping heavily on the first locked door. 'Move right back! Get away from the doors!'  
'What are you going to do?' one of the officers asked, keeping a firm grip on one of Richard's goons. 'We've got bolt cutters in the car.'  
'This is faster.' Aloysius replied, taking careful aim on the complex lock. 'Stand clear! Fire in the hole! Stand clear! Fire in the hole!'

Everyone who saw it stared in disbelief as the complex lock shattered under a single bullet, allowing Aloysius to pull the chain free before moving on to the next door and repeating his warnings. Stepping forward, Christopher took over pulling the chains free and pulling the doors open again. Slowly, the staff and clients started entering the lobby, bringing with them stories of abuse and neglect ever since Richard took over and installed his own management team. No one had been spared, Richard had tormented everyone and turned the centre into a money making venture for his upper echelon friends.

Sick to his stomach and desperate to get away from the horror for just a few minutes, Aloysius once again lifted Eric onto his back and headed through to the private area behind the lobby. Out here, he could relax and just be another vet looking after a friend. He didn't have to be a leader or a company CEO, he could simply be Aloysius. Grabbing one of the ready packs always kept on hand, he carried Eric through to one of the bathrooms and set him down on the bench safely.  
'What happens now?' Eric asked, slipping Aloysius' jacket off his shoulders.  
'Well that depends on you. You're welcome to stay here for as long as you want, no one will try to kick you out again. I've got to keep moving though, got a lot more centres to check on before getting back to the Marines.' Aloysius shrugged, kneeling to start the water in one of the bathtubs.  
'You're leaving again?' Eric gasped, not ready to say goodbye yet. 'But I only just found you.'  
'I've got a week here then I need to move on. I'll leave you with my contact details if you ever need to talk. I'll also arrange it so you can fly to Florida whenever you want to see Andrew. Out of our Crucible team, we're the only three survivors.' Aloysius offered, coming back to sit beside Eric.  
'How is Andrew?' Eric questioned, allowing Aloysius to help him out of his stained jacket.  
'He's coping as best he can. Got a brain injury in Afghanistan, along with some nasty chest injuries and a bad case of PTSD.' Aloysius offered, mind drifting back to Florida for a moment. 'He'll be so pleased to hear you're alive.'  
'I miss him too. It's good to know he's alive. We've lost too many to that damned war.' Eric nodded, huddling into himself as Aloysius help him finish undressing.  
'What happened Eric?' Aloysius asked, taking in the surgical scars around Eric's stumps.  
'We were flying out to our AO when some bastard with an RPG shot us down. Most of the guys were thrown out but not me, I got trapped in the wreckage. Thankfully we weren't that far from an allied base, the Australians reached the crash before the Iraqis. Next thing I know, I'm waking up in a hospital with both legs amputated above the knee.' Eric recalled, looking down at the scars sadly. 'Thought my parents would be proud of me for surviving but instead they tossed me out for not making the officer ranks. I was only a Staff Sergeant.'  
'You don't have to worry about any of that anymore Eric. You're safe now.' Aloysius promised, once again picking Eric up and carrying him over to the tub. 'Get yourself cleaned up, I'll see about getting you back some mobility and dignity.'

~#~#~#~#~#~

Pushing harder than he ever had before, Aloysius worked tirelessly to repair the reputation of the DC centre. It wasn't easy, many of the apartments on the upper floors had been completely remodelled into ridiculously over the top penthouse suites. Even for all his wealth, Aloysius had rarely bothered with all this luxury. Out went the call for builders, electricians, plumbers, plasters and dozens of other tradesmen. For A New Dawn they agreed to work around the clock until the work was finished. Many of the veterans were happy to help too, napping in the lower levels and doing whatever they could to help the tradesmen in the upper floors. Sometimes that was nothing more than helping to carry equipment and supplies around the building sites but at least it gave the vets a sense of achievement. Some of them even went so far as to bring up food and drink for the tradesmen, determined to do something to help with the rebuilding efforts.

Flat out with getting the upper levels back to normal, Aloysius barely had time to eat and went with just the barest minimum of sleep needed to keep him going. There was no time to look over the records and find out just how many veterans had been kicked out so he asked Eric to start digging through the disaster that was his office to find anything that might help them rebuild their reputation. Eric launched into the challenge with gusto, sorting things out and starting to compile lists of those who had been given the boot to make room for these massive suites. He couldn't do it alone though, many of the files he needed were up on shelves out of his way. In the end, he called on the nearest kind face to help, ending up partnered with an Army Major, Len Neale. Len was a good man, quick with a joke and full of stories to pass the time as they tried to make sense of everything they were uncovering.

Day three of the hasty rebuild and Aloysius paused to watch the pair working on collating their latest finds and returning order to the office. They would go far together, past and present pulling in one direction under his command. Most people didn't know it but Len and Aloysius had a special past; they'd met when Len was a Drill Sergeant and Aloysius a shocked young recruit on his first day. Len had seen something special in Aloysius that day and pushed him harder than anyone else, shaping and moulding Aloysius into a deadly foe and a highly skilled soldier.

Putting the option to them as he ate a hasty lunch on day four of the rebuild, Aloysius smiled softly at the stunned looks on their faces as they accepted his offer. Satisfied with that, he called for a press conference in two days and flew straight back into the renovations. Deep down, he knew that one week wouldn't be enough to repair the damage done but it was a good start and with a new team in charge, it would only get better. Plus it would give Eric something to do and keep him from thinking about his injuries too much.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Pitching in with the painting of the new apartments, Aloysius tried not to think about the work still to be done and instead focused on what had been achieved. In just a few days, they'd completely gutted and rebuilt four floors with another six in various stages of renovations. Right now, staff and clients were working together to furnish the prepared rooms in readiness for new arrivals. They were also working on returning the rec rooms, cafeterias and other public spaces back to the beautiful, restful spaces they had once been. Down came every reminder of what Richard had done, replaced with a selection of artworks painted by the clients. New furniture was pulled out of storage to replace the pretentious trash that had been installed in the lobby.

Shuffling along the scaffolding erected in this particular apartment, Aloysius continued carefully cutting in along the simple cornice running around the room. Beside him, Kate McTaggart was busily painting the cornice with a bright gold, adding a touch of glamour to the otherwise plain rooms. A former Coast Guard Ensign, she was bright and bubbly despite everything, chatting easily with the tradesmen and pitching in wherever she was needed.  
'Well at least this place is looking better.' she remarked, never taking her eyes off the cornice above.  
'I just hope the new management team can handle the place.' Aloysius agreed, reaching for the paint tin hanging from the scaffolding.  
'So long as they're willing to fight to protect the centre, they should be okay.' Kate grinned, wiping at a splodge of gold pain on her face. 'You picked a good team.'  
'I hope so. They'll have to learn on the fly, I haven't had a chance to really explain things to them.' Aloysius nodded, moving further along the scaffold.  
'Avenger! The news crews are starting to arrive.' Len called, startling Aloysius out of his rhythm on the ceiling. 'Everyone else is already in position!'  
'Thanks Len.' Aloysius chuckled, thankful that he hadn't made a big mess. 'Toby, come take over for me will ya?'  
'Sure thing Gunny.' Toby nodded, scrambling up onto the scaffolding and taking the brush.

Dropping back to the floor, Aloysius took a moment to wash most of the paint off his arms and face before following Len back towards the elevators. Collecting a black bag from the table near elevator three, he stepped into the elevator with Len and opened the bag. As they dropped back towards ground floor, Aloysius shed his paint stained clothes and shoes, changing into clean jeans and an olive drab t-shirt emblazing with USMC across the front and "The Few, The Proud" on the back. Slipping on a clean pair of joggers and covering his paint crusted hair with a USMC cap, he crammed his paint encrusted clothes and shoes into the bag and kicked it off to the side.  
'Are you really sure about trusting this centre to that kid?' Len asked, eyeing Aloysius warily.  
'He's a good fit for the company, Len. He might be young but he's smart as a whip and genuinely cares about veterans.' Aloysius shrugged, crouching beside the bag and fishing out a spare pair of glasses from a side pouch.  
'You're sure he won't do what Richard did?' Len pushed, needing to be absolutely sure about this.  
'Relax Len, it'll be fine. I wouldn't give him the position if I doubted his loyalty to the company and our mission.' Aloysius grinned, tossing the paint marked glasses into his bag and slipping the clean ones on. 'Besides, you'll be there at his side to keep him under control.'

Making sure that his dirty clothes were tucked completely out of sight, Aloysius held his head high as they stepped off the lift and made their way through to the lobby. The podium had been specifically placed in front of the large US flag hanging opposite the admin desk. On each side of the podium, currently serving personnel from all five branches stood to attention, supporting A New Dawn just as the company supported all five branches. The news crews were just taking their places, spreading out in a tight semicircle in front of the podium. His chosen leadership team were already on the podium, most of them dressed in neat casuals and proudly declaring their previous service with various military inspired t-shirts. Most of the New Dawn family in DC had gathered behind the news crews too, everyone eager to see what Aloysius was up to now.  
'Last chance Aloysius.' Len uttered, following him towards the podium.  
'I am confident in my decision Len.' Aloysius replied, taking a deep breath and stepping up onto the podium calmly.

Taking strength form so many familiar and friendly faces gathered to hear him speak, Aloysius stepped up to the bank of prepared microphones and looked down at the reporters below him. He had no doubt that this would end up on the news back in South Carolina so he had to put on a show worthy of his friends.  
'Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming today. I am Aloysius Knight, owner and CEO of A New Dawn Consolidated Military Support Services. As you may be aware, A New Dawn DC has been going through a rough patch for the last few months. Over the last week, the New Dawn DC family has worked exceedingly hard to put an end to all the problems and return this centre to a welcoming haven for our forgotten veterans. From now, this centre will remain true to our mission, offering free housing and assistance to the veterans of America. We are still working on undoing all of the damage done but we believe that within six months, this centre will be back in full operation and working hard to meet the needs of all our veterans.' Aloysius announced, crushing down on his nerves about the speech and focusing on what he needed to do.  
'Exactly what went wrong, Mr Knight?' a young woman asked, looking up from her notebook.  
'Due to corruption, several key positions were filled with men and women who had more interest in making money than helping our veterans. Those corrupt people have been removed, along with everyone who was involved in the plan to destroy this centre. Beyond that, I am not at liberty to say due the pending lawsuits against the people involved.' Aloysius replied, fully prepared to go to the highest court to ensure justice for his clients.  
'What will happen at this centre now?' an older man asked, meeting Aloysius' gaze calmly.  
'a new leadership team has already been selected and are filling their roles with dignity and pride, serving the needs of America's veterans just like A New Dawn was built to do. I have absolute confidence in the new team, they will continue with the rebuild once I have returned to active service.' Aloysius countered, turning his gaze to the waiting staff and clients down the back.

Taking a half step back and smiling proudly as his new team came up around him, Aloysius nodded and reached out to rest his hands on their shoulders lightly. After today, he knew he would never have to worry about DC going off the rails again, his chosen team would keep it steady and make it grow to fit the needs of their clients.  
'I present to you the new leadership team of A New Dawn DC. Senior Administrator Eric Knight, CFO Len Neale, Intake Manager Andrew Richards, Daily Manager Tobias Jackson, Outreach Supervisor Louis Ruiz and Centre Control Officer Amber Tracey.' Aloysius declared, so proud of his new team. 'Together, all five branches are represented and they are all determined to make A New Dawn DC the best centre possible.'  
'So one of the branches is represented twice?' a young man asked from the front row.  
'Yes, Andrew and I trained together at Parris Island. As you can see, we both bear the scars of overseas duty and rely on each other to survive each day. As you can see, my injuries were quite severe so having Andrew around is a huge benefit.' Eric replied, looking up at Andrew with a grin.  
'This new team came to A New Dawn in desperate need of help. We clothed, fed and sheltered them, educated and entertained them and now they stand ready to offer the same help and support to veterans who come forward and ask.' Aloysius continued, incredibly proud of his new team and hopeful for the future. 'to help continue the military traditions that we all served under at one point or another, A New Dawn uses creeds and oaths similar to the Armed Forces but with our own unique twist added to make it special.'  
'I am proud to be an American veteran. I willingly pledged my life to protecting the American way of life, serving my country with honour, dignity and respect. When times were tough, I turned to A New Dawn and found a new home among like minded people. Now I pledge to serve my fellow veterans and ensure that their every need is being met with respect and dignity. Whatever they require, I will strive to provide it.' the six new leaders declared, intensely proud of their achievements and new positions.  
'If you have any further questions, the leadership team is more than capable of answering them. I want to thank you all for coming out today and ask that you spread the word that the DC centre is once again up and running.' Aloysius nodded, stepping down from the podium.  
'Where are you going?' an older woman asked, moving to block his path.  
'Ma'am, I'm a very busy man. A New Dawn has 64 centres across the US, I only have six months of leave before I must return to my duty with the Marines.' Aloysius shrugged, stepping past her smoothly. 'I trust my leadership teams to maintain the facilities between my visits.'


	5. Rundown 1 (Ind. Minn. Mont. South Calif. Colo. Mo.)

The weeks started blurring into each other, broken up with comfortable flights across the country and then back into the grind of another centre. Each one posed different challenges, forcing Aloysius to think fast and change his plans on the fly with each new facility. Some times the challenges were good, allowing him to expand his reach a little further and help more people. Most of the time though, the challenges were a right pain in the ass, leaving him drained and wondering if it was time to pass the company off to someone else.

Indiana had been a reasonable stop, the centre was thriving and everyone was happy. There had been a couple of minor staffing issues to contend with and some of the buildings had fallen into disrepair but that had been easy enough to fix. He wasn't too pleased to find out about the lack of care shown for the facilities, spending a full day trying to sort out who was meant to be responsible for the upkeep of the buildings and giving them all a stern reminder that he was not a man to be trifled with. Ended up needing to hire three new maintenance staff to keep on top of minor issues and he'd been forced to pay for the demolition and rebuilding of two outbuildings at the centre. At least he had a regular contractor there who promised him that the work would be completed promptly and that his company would make regular inspections of the site.

It had been nice to catch up with some old acquaintances too; people he remembered from his Army days. They weren't always pleased to see him, old scars still ran deep and they weren't so willing to forget about Knight's supposed betrayal in the Sudan so long ago. Aloysius remained calm though, quietly suggesting that if they didn't like living on his dome, they were more than welcome to leave. Of the seven, four decided to stay and leave the past behind. The other three, all Delta men; well they blatantly refused to have anything to do with Knight or his money and left that day. No big deal, Aloysius wasn't going to waste his time on assholes like that.

One of those that stayed, well he was a surprise. Instead of getting all bent out of shape about Knight's supposed betrayal, he asked about Rufus. Introducing himself as Bruce O'Rourke, he explained that he went through flight school with Rufus, the pair of them pushing each other to the limits of what was capable and driving their trainers up the wall with their crazy stunts. It had just about killed Aloysius to sit down and explain to Bruce that Rufus gone. Fuck, the sheer agony in his eyes was unbearable; he'd clearly been close to Rufus before everything went to hell. They clung to each other and wept openly about a good man taken too soon before Aloysius told Bruce where he could find Rufus and leaving him sitting there staring at the page.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Minnesota turned out to be a wild ride; some of the locals didn't like having to live near a centre overflowing with abandoned veterans. Aloysius had been forced to wade through a protest group just to get to the front doors. It had only gotten worse from there. Christopher had been assaulted, his Mercedes flipped and several members of his staff assaulted when they tried to help Christopher. Frustrations boiling over, Aloysius called the local police for help and took up a position outside the centre with his pistols at the ready. He was not going to let these people stampede into his centre and tear apart everything he'd built.

The police were of limited help, doing their best to disperse the crowd and arresting those that were involved in the assault and property damage. The rest of the crowd weren't technically breaking the law, even if they were disrupting traffic and preventing people from accessing the centre. Not sure how else to get through to the crowd that they were putting lives at risk, Aloysius stood alone and addressed the protestors, asking them to look at things from the perspective of the veterans he was trying to help.

That didn't really go to plan; the protestors didn't want to talk with him. They just wanted the facility moved somewhere else. There were various complaints to be heard; some people didn't like the noise, others believed that keeping the therapy pets around was cruel to the animals, some were simply against veterans and a few were totally against a charity facility in their neighbourhood. Thinking about the financial reports he'd been reading during the flight, Aloysius smiled and called for the facility administrator Charles to start calling all the local real estate agents and asking them to dispatch their valuators to the neighbourhood. Then he turned back to the crowd and explained exactly what he was willing to do. He offered to buy their houses at whatever price the valuators gaze and assist with the moving costs of everyone who chose to leave the neighbourhood. He also warned them that the deal was only open for five days, after that they would have to find their own solutions. Someone demanded to know what he planned to do with the purchased properties and Aloysius smirked, calmly informing the woman that he would demolish the houses and turn the land into a private garden for his clients to enjoy.

Eighteen of the neighbours sold up and moved away, giving the facility a little breathing room and clearing away some of the problems. As promised, Aloysius called in the demolition crews within hours of taking full possession of each house, tearing them down and clearing away the rubble. Just as he was preparing to leave, the builders were putting up new walls to keep trespassers out as the landscapers planned what to make with the new space presented to them.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Montana, wide open spaces and plenty to keep Aloysius comfortably busy. There was practically no paperwork for him to worry about, his team here knew exactly how to run the place to best suit the needs and wants of their clients. So instead, Aloysius rolled up his sleeves and jumped in to help with whatever needed to be done. It was nice to let go of his business persona and get dirty with the team, pitching in with the chores and soaking up the peace.

From stringing miles of fencing wire to protect a new planting of saplings to repairing the post and rail fences around the stock fields, nothing was too dirty for Aloysius to try. He even tried his hand at breaking a new horse for the facility, earning a few new bruises in the process but smiling throughout the adventure. In the same day, he'd been tapped to help with a couple of older cows having trouble with late births. A disgusting job to be sure but well worth the blood and mucus smeared all over him to be there to help a little heifer take her first breath. He'd ended up getting in and helping four calves take their first breaths, three little heifers and a big bull calf. Three of the mothers knew exactly what to do but one sweet little heifer ended up being abandoned so they bought her back to the barn and arranged a care roster for her. As a team, they agreed to name her Hope and spent long hours feeding and cleaning her before bedding down near her every night.

Two days later, Aloysius was once again called in to get absolutely filthy, helping one of their mares birth a beautiful pinto filly. Aloysius didn't even need to think about it, christening the little girl Chickadee. Cleaning her up and getting her up on shaky legs, Aloysius couldn't have been prouder when little Chickadee started nursing almost immediately. No one questioned the choice of name; they all liked the fact that it was something totally different to all the other horses.

Most nights, when he wasn't watching over Hope and Chickadee, Aloysius would take his place around one of the bonfires burning merrily in the fields and lift his voice in song. From country hits to military memories, they would sing whatever came to mind and send their wishes up to the stars above. Sometimes, Aloysius was sure he could see Rufus moving through the smoke overhead, soft grey wings spread wide as he maintained his vigil.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Southern California, now there was a centre that made Aloysius feel completely embarrassed to be the owner and CEO of A New Dawn Consolidated Military Support Services. He'd suspected trouble from the first moment he arrived in the area and had seen dozens of homeless veterans begging for help on the streets. He'd asked several of them why they hadn't gone to A New Dawn for help and been told time and time again that the centre was full to bursting with illegals. Something didn't feel right about that so he hired a big coach and started gathering up all the veterans he could find.

The shocks only got worse when he arrived at the centre and found hundreds of illegals living in the centre, every room was overflowing with families that had no right to be in his building. Rather than lose his temper and start berating the staff for their lack of care, he made a few phone calls and requested that the services be cut off to the centre. Within hours, the illegals were practically rioting in the lobby, demanding their internet access, hot water and power be turned back on.

Only then did Aloysius make his move, storming into the building and roaring for silence. When no one listened, he calmly fired a single bullet into the floor beside his feet and demanded silence again. Finally getting their attention, Aloysius started to speak. He told the illegals in no uncertain terms that they were now all under arrest and that the facility was surrounded by immigration officials. Naturally, the illegals panicked and ran straight into the ranks of well armed officers surrounding the building.

Setting the veterans up in the lobby as the sniffer dogs went through the facility from top to bottom, Aloysius could only stand there and swear as millions of dollars worth of illegal drugs, cash and guns were located and removed along with 2000 illegal immigrants from all over the world. He was especially horrified to find out that there were several bomb making facilities throughout the building. Disgusted by what had been allowed to happen, he fired the staff on the spot and banished them from all New Dawn facilities across the country. They protested, insisting that they were innocent in all of this but Aloysius held firm, sending the lot out the door with their precious illegals. He would not let people like that turn his company into a drug den.

Left with little choice, Aloysius had to face the massive clean up head on. Just a quick check with the aid of a breathing mask had revealed the true extent of the damage once all the drugs, guns and illegals had been rooted out. The place was a giant, festering fire hazard. All he could really do was apologise profusely and offer to pay for all his veterans to stay in nearby hotels. They weren't having that though, offering their help in the cleanup for their choice of rooms once it was all repaired and back up to his exacting standards. Aloysius couldn't say he loved the plan but it was certainly the most sensible idea in the long run. It gave the veterans a chance to feel useful again and like they were actually earning the help they so desperately needed.

Within 24 hours of the massive bust, Aloysius was faced with a totally different problem, a problem that he was more than happy to face. Currently serving troops from all five branches converged on the ruined centre, bringing with them vitally needed supplies and manpower to get the centre back up and running. Even the MCRD San Diego sent a detachment of recruits to assist with the work; their DI's forming the young recruits into a bucket brigade in one of the stairwells to move equipment up and down in a timely fashion. Wearing respirators and coveralls, they passed wet plasterboard and carpet down and buckets of supplies and fresh sheets of plasterboard back up, leaving the elevators free for the workmen with their tools.

29 Palms sent engineers to help with the rewiring and plumbing needs and crates of clean clothes and basic supplies for the veterans. Camp Pendleton provided excess blankets and bunks for the veterans sleeping in the lobby. Fort Irwin send soldiers to assist and surplus sleeping bags and boots for the veterans. Naval Base San Diego sent in manpower and surplus rations as well as a portable shower block they'd picked up somewhere. Vandenburg Air Force Base sent in volunteers, as did Edwards Air Force Base and March Air Reserve Base. Even the Coast Guard made an appearance, getting stuck in with everyone else to clean up the New Dawn Southern California facility and get it back up and running.

Knowing that he needed someone trustworthy to take over the Southern California facility, Aloysius called on the one man that he knew he could trust above all other potentials - Clay Andrews. He didn't even question why, he readily accepted the challenge of taking over control of the facility and made the cross country journey to take his position.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Colorado, a nice quiet break from all the chaos. Out here, he didn't need to worry about TV crews or newspaper reporters hassling him for the latest scoop from inside A New Dawn. He could strip off and get stuck in with the chores, letting out his frustrations on the fences that needed to be built and the hay bales that had to be restacked. Unfortunately, he couldn't just saddle up one of the horses and ride free for hours; he had to keep heading back to the office to speak at the Southern California court case. Clay was doing his best to contain the situation but the fired staff members were out for Knight's blood and nothing less would satisfy them.

When he could get away from the office for more than just a couple of hours, he liked to saddle up Midnight Storm and just ride, feeling the wind tearing at his skin as she eats up the distance. For a little while, it felt like he was flying again and the tears came relentlessly, making it harder to see the path home but she knew the way, taking him far and wide then bringing him safely back home. She was always soaked in sweat afterwards but takes her time, walking around the stable until he came back to his head and could dismount without falling in a heap.

Aloysius also tried to be there for the kids that called the facility home, most of them trying to get by without their fathers and some who had lost both parents to war only to be adopted formally by the staff at the centre and given everything they needed. Aloysius willingly joined the care roster for the week, spending his time with the youngsters in between court appearances and the never ending paperwork. Aloysius never let the kids see his worries though, hiding it all behind a happy smile as he played various ball sports or indulged in a tea party with the kids.

There were beautiful moments too, moments that made Aloysius so proud to be the head of A New Dawn. Two young veterans had decided to get married at the Colorado facility and since he was there, Tiffany Jones asked if he would mind escorting her down the aisle since her father refused to come to the wedding. Humbled by the request, Aloysius pulled out his dress blues and even paid for her wedding dress. Out of respect for the newlyweds, he left his Medal of Honour in his office, not wanting to appear more important than Tiffany and Andrew. The ceremony was beautiful, held in the gardens behind the main admin building with the reception in the mess hall. Tiffany looked so pretty in her simple white gown, long red hair covered with a white veil covered in glistening diamantes. Andrew stood tall in his Navy uniform, his smile so bright as he took Tiffany by the hand and made his vows.

For Aloysius, the wedding was a chance for him to dream about a special day that would never come for him. He would never get the chance to walk his little girl down the aisle and into a new life so he did his best not to break down and cry in front of Tiffany and Andrew. He wasn't totally successful with that, a few tears slipped out and fell silently as he watched over the newlyweds. They deserved this happiness and Aloysius was pleased that he could play such a small role on their big day. At Tiffany's request, he did put his Medal of Honour on for the wedding photos, just so she could show her father what a real man was.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Missouri, well that had certainly been an interesting stop. The facility there was on the outskirts of Jefferson City, far enough out to not get swallowed up by the city but close enough that the local bus companies made regular stops right outside the place. This facility was a shining example of what could be achieved if civilians put their full support behind veterans and stopped judging them on the behaviour of a few individuals. 71% of their clients were employed in the city, working a huge variety of jobs in a wide range of industries. The other 29% were engaged in study programs to improve their chances of landing a good job or working towards a degree that they'd been dreaming of for years.

Even those that most people deemed unemployable found something that suited them, even if it was nothing more than mopping floors at the local mall. Jason Chase was one such man, he'd been severely wounded in the first Gulf War and now whizzed around the local cinema complex in his motorised wheelchair, a specialised rig allowing him to carry all his cleaning gear and still fit through the doorways. He only had one hand left but the rig had a several clamps for holding mops and brooms so he could still drive and clean the floors as he went.

Every year, the locals threw a party to celebrate the day A New Dawn opened in Missouri, inviting everyone to join in the festivities and proving all over again that they loved their veterans. The streets were festooned in flags and bunting, everyone getting behind their military and showing their pride. School children of all ages did projects on veterans of battles past and present as well as donning sweet little uniforms and parading around town. Businesses offered great discounts and deals to service members who came by during the celebration, talking about A New Dawn and encouraging guests to support the centre.

Word got around remarkably fast that Aloysius was in town for the party this year and almost as soon as he arrived at the centre, the city mayor was there to ask if he would lead the parade this year. He also asked if Aloysius would mind judging the kite competition one of the local schools was running. The challenge was that each kite had to look like a military plane or helicopter. Aloysius didn't even have to think about it, agreeing to both requests and sending Jeremy to make sure his uniform was cleaned and ready for the big day.

Of course, it couldn't be that simple. When he'd been told about the kite competition, he'd been expecting things that looked vaguely like aircraft but instead he was presented with 63 kites that looked like perfect miniatures of various aircraft from around the world. Right there in the middle, one particularly clever young man had come up with a canvas and balsa replica of a Sukhoi SU-47 Berkut. Now that really hit Aloysius in the gut, he'd never even dreamed that one of these kids might recreate such an unusual aircraft. He tried so hard not to play favourites but he was pretty sure everyone could tell that he was fond of the Sukhoi.

Trying not to think about the kite competition, Aloysius turned his attention to the rest of the celebration, letting all his worries drift away as he soaked up the atmosphere and indulged in the various games and competitions arranged for everyone to enjoy. He signed up for the cadence contest, belting out a special one he'd written with the help of his friends that guided recruits through the basic tenants of Marine life - loyalty, integrity, courage and adaptability. He heard a lot of other incredible cadences as he relaxed in the stands after his turn and was left pleasantly surprised when the judges put him second, just three points behind an Army Drill Sergeant of twenty years.

The day before the grand parade, the New Dawn family was rocked by a shocking tragedy and forced to step up in ways they'd never been prepared for. Two of their cherished friends were killed in a terrible car wreck, leaving behind three dear little children that had practically grown up within the centre. Within hours, child services was circling the centre, probing into who would take responsibility for the Thompson children. Apparently the stability of living at the centre, surrounded by excellent role models and dozens of people that wanted to help the kids wasn't enough for child services. As soon as Aloysius noticed that, he was instantly on the phone to his lawyers, putting them to work on setting up his formal adoption of the Thompson children. He made sure to make it obvious to the child services people too, keeping the children close and taking full responsibility for them no matter what he was doing.

Jamie was the eldest, aged six. With soft brown curls and bright green eyes, he was inquisitive and super smart, always asking questions and trying to learn more about the world around him. Everyone indulged his curiosity, teaching him anything he wanted to learn. He at least partially understood that his parents weren't coming back and when guided, had come to Aloysius for comfort and an explanation.

Christine was just four, long brown hair hanging down her back and the sweetest blue eyes he'd ever seen. Quite and shy, she tended to stick close to Aloysius and took to calling him papa completely on her own. He was pretty sure she didn't really understand what had happened and promised silently that he would do whatever was necessary to protect her from the horrors of this tragedy. She deserved to keep her innocence.

Little Rufus, just nine months old and already a survivor. He'd been in the car with his parents but thankfully one of the officers on scene knew the family and bought the child safely back to the only family he had now. From the first moment Aloysius held the child, he knew what he had to do. With bright brown eyes and soft brown curls, he instantly burrowed into Aloysius' chest and fell quiet, totally at peace in Aloysius' embrace.

The very next day, despite the protests of the young woman assigned to the Thompson case, Aloysius took his new family out on parade with him. Donning his dress blues again and allowing Jamie to help fasten his Medal of Honour around his throat, Aloysius brushed their caseworker aside and strapped little Rufus into his new stroller before making sure his older siblings were looking their absolute best.

They made for an incredible sight, leading their New Dawn family down the main street past the cheering crowds. Jamie and Christine never let go of the stroller, waving to the people and looking up at Aloysius whenever they needed reassurance. Head held high, Aloysius let the locals see that he was willing to do anything for the veterans of America, even if that meant adopting their children as his own. Aloysius was kind of hoping that community pressure would make child services back off but if that failed, his lawyers could handle the situation.

Devoting most of his time to his kids, Aloysius never forgot his promises to the mayor and returned to the school after the parade to judge the kite contest. The entrants were all gathered on the oval, their amazing kites soaring on a gentle breeze so he could see just how well they all flew. As much as he still loved the little Sukhoi, he ended up giving first prize to a ten year old girl named Melanie and her stunning B-52. The kite was almost as big as her and although not the most agile of kites, it flew beautifully for her. Second prize went to eleven year old Curtis and his acrobatic Raptor. Third went to thirteen year old Dennis and his incredible Sukhoi. Aloysius couldn't resist asking him why he picked such a unique plane and Dennis replied that he'd wanted a challenge. Laughing at that, Aloysius pulled out his phone and let Dennis see some rare footage of the Black Raven in flight so he could compare his kite to the real thing. Then Dennis did something that left Aloysius breathless for a moment; he calmly offered the older man his kite as a gift. Struck dumb for a few minutes, Aloysius briefly tried to resist but Dennis insisted so Aloysius gave up the fight and graciously accepted the kite with the comment that he expected something even more amazing next year.

Proving once again that they were worth the fees he paid them, Aloysius' legal team came through for him, finalising the adoption in record time with some help from his friends across the country. Dozens of people had called the caseworker, telling her what an outstanding man Aloysius was in all aspects of his life. It only took a few hours of constant calls before she finally gave in and signed off on her end, giving Aloysius a clear path to adopt the three little darlings permanently.

By the end of the week, Aloysius was definitely frazzled but he refused to let the kids see just how exhausted he was. He kept putting on a smile for them, pushing aside all his other troubles to get them used to his personal staff and their new lifestyle. Of course, dear little Rufus didn't really care about any of the fuss, he was perfectly happy so long as he was snuggled into Aloysius' chest. That was easy enough to deal with; Aloysius simply had to adjust to wearing a baby carrier all the time.

Bidding a fond farewell to the Missouri facility and all the wonderful people there, Aloysius found it easier to smile as he got his new brood buckled into their seats and relaxed to feed Rufus again. Jamie was full of questions as normal but this time he aimed a lot of them towards Christopher so Aloysius could watch over Christine as she coloured in a pretty picture to decorate their home.


End file.
